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T I L L E, THE C T R N E, 



Trag edy in 



Five Acts, 



By 



2^/y<f 



SARA B. G R E N E V E L T. 















Qi 



e 






' 









DRAMATIS PJ8RSONAJ8. 



ALCIPF, W VIAVANT, 
don OUVXKRA. 



WJSYBURN, 



DR. r r Rj?r?OR3[0, 



•young Creole lawyer of lofty 

lineage. 

•A Spanish noble. 

■planter and ox-overseer. 



■Stir goon of Charity Hospital and 
friend of De Viavant. 



JJ3SU CHRI 3TI KOHTI BKLLO , — 1 1 all an fruit vendor. 
SNOWDRXTT. — black boy, son of Angel i que. 



OTILLB.- 



•daughter of Don Oliviera, 



DONNA OLIVUBRA.- step-mother to Otille. 

ANv?15LI oj. 7F* ( Angel e ? , - negress and nurse to otille, 

Americanised Creole. 
LUJ3LLA DKANK. Accomplished and: 

int rioting woman: 



INKS, 



wife of Montihello 



Courtesans and Mis- 
tresses of iVeybum. 



D1STJ5CTXW HJSNNJ5SSKY. 



PLANTATION Nfl 3R0 MINSTRELS. 



Plantation-Negroes, Italians, Hospital students, etc. 






a «••»•«•«* ■ 









. 












~, 






->■ «" 









T I L L B, T H S OCTOROONS 



SCENE I: 



ACT I. 
(Plantation Negro Minstrels. Iferero souks 
Mid dances with banjo accorfyaniment. 

Kxuent. ) 



(Scene I. Be Vjavant Sugar Plantation, 
then above Kay Orleans, where Marine Hos- 
pital now stands. 

Swramer house amid the shrubbery* House. 
plantation, etc. in the distance.) 
(At rise of curtain. ANGELS discovered 
singing Glory Hallelujah and sweeping tha 
walks near summer house, then leaning on 
her broom. ) 



Angela. 



At last, I'm back where I fust seen de light, 
It must be thirty year sen ©a I w&a born. 
My young eat gal w&a twenty odd last spring. 

(Singinrt and sweeping! 
Bern lazy little darkeys leaves dare work 
For us old folks. Day don f t make niggers like 
Bey used to. Lost de pattern I suppose. 

(Singing and sweeping. Exit. Knter 

WHYRURN and LUBLLA. ) 

Way bum. 



What in the devil are you doin^ h$ra? 

I thought you understood that we were quits. 

Luella. 



I heard something I thought I ou^ht to tell 

You. They say: long a#o a Spanish Bon 

Left his plantation up in Acady, 

And went to New Orleans to buy a lot 

Of darkies at the old Arcade 8xehan#e. 

He bought Angela, a nigger wench. *n& then 

A pretty Octoroone named Natalie 

Was auctioned off. The Don bid high for h&r, 

Got her and took her home, and had her taught 

By splendid teachers, and then after she 

Gave him a baby Rirl, he married h*r. 



,H & .T I 












erweJ Jiw 

to 

SO vJJ«*!q A 
Jmib ieri $ 



2 



But he soon tired of her, gave her a lot 

Of money to give up their child to him, 

Than unbeknown to anyone, somehow 

He cot their marriage record in his hands, 

And no one never seen it to this day, 

And then he went off with his child and left 

Hie nigger wife who died soon afterwards. 

Way burn • 



What are you driving at? T?hat do you take 
Me for? Am I one of those Bib! a chaps 
That you should talk to me in Parables? 

Luella, 



Re quiet, please, and listen till the end* 
He married some big bug the second time. 
His child grew awful handsome, so they said, 
And no on9 but her father and her old 
Kigger nurse knew about her nigger blood* 
But the Don lost his riches snd his fine 
Girl had to marry money, and she took 
An overseer, and that was you, and your 
Grand wife's a nigger, so we're even now. 
That wee vein on her cheek shows nigger blood. 

Weyburn. 



(Lifting his arm menacingly) You are a liar. 



Luella. 



Touch me if you dare, 

And I will tell your people who I am. 

You might have married me, I'm white at least, 

Weyburn. 



(Aside) If there be truth in what that wench has said 
I'll make it hot for that cursed wife of mine. 
(Aloud) If you have lied to me--you'll pay for this, 

(Pushing her from him and rushing out. 

Luella exits. Enter OTILLE and AL0ID5. ) 



A ' 



























3 

8CSK35 11. 



OtiUe. 
Were jrmi mated, and had ; ou learned too late 
Tftat inky blood had left upon your wife, 
Your cherished wife, ita stain indelibl 
Would you not spurn her from you, though she were 
Unconscious of the icnoninious taint. 

Alcide. 
X should be Miserable, certa inner, t, 
Cola va sans dire. Although a man may ha- 
A i»«r. chant for a beautiful quadroon 
He will nevertheless abhor a Wot 
On his posterity. *hr clo you as*:? 
Ma foil ce serait terrible— still I'd feel 
A boundless pity pour la nalhsureu&. . 
Tt i^ a ^rise father «sh« knows his own 
Sen. 8« alas I the most punctilious n*£ht 
Have such a fate — but oh I shat contumely 
For one who boasts a crested ancestry . 
I shu- at She thought, yet, woman, womr 

'ft\y very helplessness la tfaj er of strength. 

'lliy strongest appeal ^o ms.n'3 nobler natiu 

Qtillo. 
(r.y.eitedly) And pray what braggart beasts a higher rank 
than nature* i aoblomanv 

Alcide. 



What ails thee, child? 

Otille. 



Not truer is the needle to «fca pole 

Than thou to truth ar.d honor — but may (}oC. 

Pre,ser\'e you ever from so cruel a fat . 

Aide. . 



What troubles you? dites rnoi , me. pauvre ] e? 

Let these broad ahou2.de rs bear your burden ohe 
And we'll outwit fair-faced, false-hearted Fat 
Whose barbed arrows ever lie ir. waft, 

(AN<*TOt enters, resumes her sweeping and 
a^ain she softly sjn^,j V:: lc \ J-'allelujah" 
then suddenly steps, puts hor b:'n^; : nolee- 
1 e s sly as i do at* d 1 i : , ; . ■ , ; , ■•'.-.■ *she r 1 anc e s 
towards the -^CTior "ov.-^.? 
Je t'aime cherie. I had not near.t to tell 
You, but what* 8 a a id cannot bo unsaid. For 












1 A 





















- . .. 






■x 



i 



A 



Your soke, love, I am c^*^ £«** from here. 

I)o°.t thou not know, pauvre innocent e» that love 

Mho ours, unsanctioned by the altar, leads 

Rut to perdition? I've not passed unscathed 

Sh« £$«ry furnace of temptation, yet 

I cannot let my little snow-drop wilt 

In the blinding heat of unholy love, 

Whose blandishments are a decoy, whose joys 

Are a chimera. Passion beckons us 

With dreamy eyes, arul sensuous lips aboard 

Her gilded barge. Trust i^ot the leaky craft, 

Tossed rudderless upon Life's turbid stream, 

It carrion desolation in its wake, 

As wlSh its reckless crew, it drifts down., down 

Into the daimjng whirlpool of despair. 

Could I, vfco'd barter Hempen itself for you, 

Scorch mj' pure lily with the flames of Hell? 

Not if she w**re a willing sacrifice — 

But I am only human- -and ere !on£ 

It may be too late. Now, I'm strong trough 

To leave you to honor and mi eery. Par 

Be t te r th at — than v. it" hone r and mi. se i*y . 

It is misery, misery, whichever ray 

turn. God pity such as we. would 
To Heaven, ^ignonne, that I had held my peace. 

Otille. 



call it pity — friendship — 'tis not love. 

Alcide. 
(j? too pine to kiss her good bye? 
But helasl "Pity is akin to love — 
And friendship next door* neighbor, w innocente. 

Otille. 
( Repe 11 ing h im ? 
Is this the way you practice what you preach? 
Is tfaic the way you save me from ?Jr»e flames 
Of Hell? Hy husband's curses could not scorch 
He like one kiss from him who is not mir . 

Alcide . 



( PI e ad in g ex c i te dl y ) 
One kiss Otille, one only as a pledge 
Of our undying love, one innocei. 
Kiss, ere we part for* nly one — 

Give me your lips — I'm mad — one kiss Otille — 






r» X »o v o,C 





















t j % iter* 






i 






Otille. 
Hack, baofc* I an a married soman, 8ir»I 

No stain shall mar* the rfcite robes ol* my honor. 

Ko— no — I am a hapless wii*e # but none 

Shall dare to say, I an a faithless one! 

(Kxits. Alcide stands u Eioment stunned 
and speech! ess, then look a at his watch.) 

Alcide. 



Madman! *Chrou/:h Tol.l.j , T may miss the boa* 1 

(KxJts. Aagele resumes her sweeping sr.d 
Bine inc.} 



Angel e* 



I'd nou^hty sorry for den Chilian, Sah. 

(flxits? 

(O^ITiTiK enter?, throws herself on a 
lux urj o\'.3 couch, wrings her hands and 
weeps hi t terly. ) 



OtU3 - 



Aleide — my love, my love J Bad j»ity mo! 

Mar..' the sun has gone out of my I if 

And loft mfi In the darkness of despair. 

(?hn fall? Into a stupor, till roused b: 
a craff voice. Tfr.ter *rKYP-U3N\ drunk.) 

Veyburru 



Hello I tfiat in the devil ails you now? 

?.» I »w*ar there ain't such another piece 
Of affectation in all nicgerdom. 
You can 1 1 come your Dahomey airs or r 
Come, come, set up you lazy hussy, I 
.Am well acquainted with your rece. I know 
Their little idiosyncrasies. I've 
Not been a negra driver all these yea 
For no thin , and thic good old cognac brines 
'i5ie old plantation, vz\<L the old waya back 
Again. H-^r^ wench, brine me my riding whip. 

(Otille hands him his whip.) 
one hue tl e roun d . {Cracks hie, whip at her? 

"Fetch me another flask 
Of Brandy. ere 1 a a bumper to your I 
Ma jolie fert couleur. 

Otille. 
Are you mad? 






fl 















. 



■ 












an 
i 












- 



They gay, that you loo!'; Xik& fluit Natalie 
Your father bought at the Arce.de Exchange. 

Ptille. 
(Clutches hi 3 am appeal ingly) 
Car. there be any truth in !$iat I hoard 
That snake- eyed woman hiss into your ear? 

Weyburn . 



he is not snake-eyed; she is beautiful! 
You women undervalue rival ch?t i TiS; 
You mean my fomer mi a tree*. Ha! you wince* 
You thought you were the firs!; upon the throne 
Of my affections. Well, she* a ifcite, at least! 

(flntor AI J "rj-n«.v t< ^.o has been listening.) 

Ansel . 



Pat oomnn ain't *hite. 

Woyhum. 

Vho says that? 

Angele, 
I does. 

She's black-hearted, and dey tells me de blood 
Flow from de heart, den ain't she black, ob course 
She is. Who sea mi ! cal ain't white? Hei> ma 
^a« white, as snow, and lubly ar, a pink. 

Otill . 



'.Chat woman has no real proof. Her proofs 
Are but the offspring of her lying tongue . 

(Weyburn points to a dusky, almost imper- 
ceptible vein on fttille's cheek near her 
rounded chin. ) 



Weyhurr., 
book, look. I Her proof is here! herel He who runs 
May read, and he who reads may run, may rim. 
Look at that little dark vein on your- cheek, 
Look where the nigger blood has left its trail, 
'(ho snail can't hide Ita slime. 'Che proof is here. 

("lams door ard exits. Otille picks ur 
a small airrvr and looks critically at 
herself.) 















i I 

ia 4 p\ f *i7 












A J Iff 






3 /SB 

r f f Al*M ft 



v otiiie. 

Angel e, what means this littl« dark, dark rein? 

Aire o* ft. 



I eksn't see no thin' but de roaes, God 
Almighty planted on yowT FOtt"iy cheek, 

Qtille. 



I#ook close, and see the riper Gelled beneath— 

An Octoroon e — Is this ny noble birth? 

(-rent God who gare wo life, is this Thy gift? 

SGEKE ITT. cja- 



(Enter WEYBURF.) 



*eybum* 



I want my sapper. I an hungry* Sire 

It to me he re I ttiis minute, or I'll go 

Where X can get it. I'm not going to rait. 

Cheats himself at the table and rings 
for the servants* »iter S^R^ANT*.? 

Pring me my$uj&p0r quick — step lively nigs — 

(The servants rv.shing here and ere, put 
th^ supber on pell-mell. He vfoigttjes f 



his ftogi 3Ujou, the dog, >,ftt»rs.) 
Here Bijou, hero Bijou, ait up, sit up. 

('the dog sits up? 
Give no ;our pa*, my beauty; shake hands. How 
Has doggy been to-day. (Caresses the ami 1 in/? brute) 
KiJia me old girl. (Doc licks his face.) 

Oone Bijou, take your tid-bfts, «*hile I eat. 

(Chooses the daintiest morsels frqm his 

plate for his blooded pointer*? 

Otille. 
How much deader to man's heart ia his doc 

'i*ian his wife. Hie doc ean find his heart-strings. 

Wayburn* 



His wife can find his purse-strings, ha! and they 
Alone can tell how O.vt.r she is to him. 

(She aits at table, Weyburn jumps up) 
Why PuzaardI that dog has a pedigree. 
If you are going to sit at table, I 
Shall stand, for I don't eat with niggers— not 
If I know it and know myself— by gadi 
Kow that you niggers have no market price, 
These registered dogs are undoubtedly 









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lis :ri* 

•rf IT; *rf? 

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8 

Your superiors. Take a look at that 

fterealog i cal tr e e — Idi o t ! 

(flrara from his pocket a little book, 
ornamented with filagree work and throws 
At at her.) 

And then perhaps, you'll not compare yourself 

To a pure-blooded quadruped again. 

Otille. 



(Approaches ^eybum and spe?.tkg softly? 
'Che servants will hear you. For (rod's sake hush I 

Weybiura . 

(Rises and with aria uplifted shrieks? 
A cursed, m*?asly nigger for a ?i?$— 
'13ie rabble An the streets would hoot at me 
If ther but knew. A nigger wife — by gad? 
Oof you black devil? get out of my sight I 
Or I rill crush you with my heel, as I 
Would any other loathsome viper — OoJ 
/ou carrion—crow — flit — sweep out— spread your wings' 
Move on — Migrate to San Domingo* whore 
'JQie blackest niggers are the bor ton. Fly! 

(flashes the contents of his third wine 

glass in her face. He falls on the couch 

in a d rnrnk en s tup or . ? 

Otille. 



Great (fed! an Octoroon e# an Octoroon© I 
And chained forever to a drunken brute. 
Fair hope is dead — My heart's her sepulchre. 

(Haying her hand on her heart goes to 

window? 
The night jessamine is signing o'er her tomb, 
I'm friendless, friendless* even sleep deserts 
r Cho Octoroon e. What graveyard stillness reigns, 
I almost hear the quick, tumultuous blood 
That's running riot in my surging veins. 
Nought breaks the silence, save that old time-piece; 

(Lifts curtain, revealing old fashioned 

clock? 
The re ' s some th ing alno s t Tatmwt in th at gre a t 
CI oc y ' s tan tal i ?> ing , me a*ured , mo ck in g tone s , 
Shat tell each madding moment o'er and o'er 
As it ticks my allotted minutes out 
To no. } s -er^ 9 (Holds up a vial to the clock) 



Miser, keep them nil yourself, 
Sine© you make so much noise about your part 

I'd rattier* die than shard ay hours with you. 
Your rhythmic heart-bents jar against the wild, 
Impetuous throbbing of my ow\. Biey grate 
Their discords on my unstrung nerves and rouse 
My fevered brain to frenzy. Am I mad? 
That clock's a ghoul — see how ho stares at me — 
And row he lifts his bony hands. He speaks — 

( Th e clock st "i ko s tw el v o ? 
Me hears him say — "X know you Octoroons, 
Hi rice ere life's taper has expired these hands 
Shall toll the bell — that sounds your funeral knell." 
What dees he mean? How can I die before 
Ti if e * s t ap er ha 9 e xp i r e d? I«e t t ime exp 1 ai n 
His own conundrums — tick, tick. Am I mad? 
What dQQfi he mean? .Am I to die ore three 
O'clock and shall I be entombed alive? 
And is that voice prophetic of my fate? 
Tick, tick, tick, tick, hush! hush! tick, tick, hush! 

hu sh ! 
Tick, tick — I'll strangle you if you don't hush! 
Stop murderer — stop ticking ni r life away; 
Are you Almighty God, that you should dole 
Out n\i' unhappy life in pitiless, 
Pit i fill momen ts, ore by one to me? 

Tick, tick, tick, tick, hush! hush, tick, tick, Oh! oh! 
That clock, that clock, I'm going mad, mad, mad! 

(Puts her hands to her ears and rushes 

away from the clock, ^alks towards win- 

dow.) 



10 

A0? I. SpreJF, r T , Same. 



(Otille at w In d ow , cl rap ed w i tl i v in es . ) 

Otille. 
Beyond the tented clouds, the starry hosts 
Are bivouacking; on the plains of leaver, 
All nature sleeps, but there's no rest for mo, 
No." day nor night brines rest to pan v re Otille, 
Poor Octoroone. '^at misery is mine — 
A pariah ©van. in my own home, 
An outcast in m f own beloved South, 
v © ri ly ' on r forefather's sins de « e en cl 
Upon their children to the third end fourth 
Or ene re. ti on — Ah I cm e ! , c rue! wo rl cl , 
Nature! *liy art thou so kind to me? 
Thy are only the human. Inhuman? 

pitying winds — moon with tender light — 
have you forgotten that I am not white? 

(She pulls a crimson cord and the silvery 

tinkle of a distant bell is heard. 

Al ci de is s e en ou ts i de , th rough wind ow « ? 

Ale ide « 
(Aside, speaks outside of window) 
Confound that boat — who fa thorns mischief finds 
A woman at the bottom. But what means 
This midnight orgie and that vision fair'** 
What evil menaces my angel now? 
Ye Gods protect her — keep her safe from harm. 

1 low gloriously beautiful is she, 

White robed and framed in vinos luxuriant, 

Like some night blooming Oereus against, 

The empurpled clusters of Wisteria* 

See how yon envious cloudlet seeks to throw 

This radiant blossom in the shade. Now thrusts 

The moon her filmy veil of angry clouds 

Aside to gaze untramme]Je& on Otille. 

The pitying moonbeams tenderly caress 

Her lovely, child-like face, and wind their long 

Whi te , si ondev f i n^ e r n th rough her s abl e ha 1 r , 

Like sunlight struggling ^hreugh a dusky cloud. 

pfater AI T (-3 ? ,LK as if answering bell; goes 

to window) 
there stands Angela, a shadow of the night 
Too heavy for the moon tc lift- 















< 












13. 



Hera* 3 wo. (Angela lights the lamp) 
All married folks ©light tar live tor dereselves, 
And drink and fight s.nd %vmml to denes* lw«»» 
♦Tain't good to have outsiders prowl in' reun*» 
'Tain't 'spec table to sa; do least ob it. 

Otille. 
But tttia plantation is not ours* This place 
Belongs to ^iavant and we can't oust 
Kin froei hi* heritage* lPo are his guf»sts_(poin_ 

a statue of Alcide) 
His statue yonde r (ankle? graceful as a young 
Apollo (aloud? should remind us of *h© fact. 

Angel e. 
Den you Should hunt seme udder house— dat's all. 

otille. 
I did not ring you up to lecture ma — 
(Dreamily? An<*ele. 



Angela « 



Hq^s ne. 

0*53 i «*. 



Ang el e , I'm go in g * o o 3 e . 

You know all, all? Tiife's too hard. I car* t bear 

It any longer. I knot' not where I 

An geitig, but I know Vm leaving Hell. 



■•Ih e • 



Young Miss, don't spic day way. I mus' go call 
Mars ^'eyhurn. 

Otille. 



Hal if you do, I'll be dead, 

Ere he cats here? ( 5n a t ch e e a t i ny stiletto f r om the 

folds of her hair? 
And he'll be very glad. 

He'd like to kill me, but h« would not like 
"She scandal , nor would he enjoy the swing, 
But he will not see me aliwe aga i r — (Re pla ce s s t j ], e t to ) 
'this vial — (Takes a snail bottle iVom £u*r bosom? 
Will make things pleasant for us all. 






* 



, 



1? 

(Angola snatches the vial from her mis- 
tress; empties the contents into a basin? 

Anr.ele. 



Young r.iss, you 'a ftoelift 1 poorly, fro to bed 
A&in. I'll fetch do Doctor quick. You needs 
A nixtry ftii? to clean yer ctetern out. 

Otille. 



Hush J X*ti your mistress. You have but to mind 

( Imp ul 3 i vol y ? 1 to v could X leave you, faithful Angel 1 que 

Forever, without telling you good bye, 

X love you so. ( Ttaib re.c es Ang£ 1 o . ) 

I cl inc to you Ang^l a* 

AleiUie. 



(Asi&o? As hangs the parting Bay or, Twi light's skirts— 
TQitit sweetness was tod— Ciell uhat sacrilege— 
And look J old Angela's tears are falling fast 
Like rain from a dark cloud. What does this mean? 

Otille. 



I'^e only you and — and— and — 

Angfele. 



I knows all 
About it. You can't tall me no thin' chile — 
Love ems' have sot your heart ablate. Your eyes 
Xs flashin' fire like two live coals. Poor gal — 
You' s sot it putty bad, dat's shure— Hon* t cry. 
It hu w ts your pore ole marany. Des* ol« eyes 
Kin soo that's what an* I am cwine to stan' 
By you honey, if 1 sets lef ' myself. 

(Puts her arms around Otille) 
X can't see x% r po^ baby sufferir. 1 so, 
An' nebor \%t* a hand to holp her out 
Be mire — m % mebbe in do mire— God knows? 

(Releases her) 
Love am a powerful pisen, and it need 
A powerful Counteract to antidote 
I>e pis on, sah. 

Oil lie. 



You mean an antidote 
To counteract the poison. 












I 



1? 



Angela* 
J>at'3 It gal. 

You fixed it right. I git things kind, o' mixed 
Jea' wait a minute chile till I gits back. 

(Exit Angela.? 

tills. 



(taking the tiny stiletto from her hair and feeling its 

edge) 
«hy do I hesitate? .Am I afraid* 

(Hears someone appio aching and replaces 

it. Tfr.ter A?rflg?,P..? 

Angela. 



(™xeitedl;Q Hare Wayoum'p lyin* dead drunk on de floor, 
I tried to wake him, but it ram' t no use. (Ky.it s) 

OtUle. 



(k>dJ How bitter is the cup of life, 
^hich 7. wi dr trains f o its very dregs. 

(Writer AKQFJ.1^ with a pot of herbs and a 
small medicine ch^at. frighting a spirit 
lamp , sh b r ews a po t i on . ? 

'Angela* 
Mil atttff kin resurrect de dead — It grow 
On de bank* ob de Kile in Hey.ic . 
X 'low dat's what de whale wmi eatin' when 
He throw ed Mars Jonah up. Y«r cwie it's so 
Pisgustfiil dat mi thin don't *snt to stay 
Long side o' hit, and der't yer see sah shen 
De whale tufc to dat stuff, Mars Jonah thou#\t 
'Twas 'bout tine fur hin to gi <: up and git, 
]>ese yerbs would drive de dead out ob de grave. 
It t&kes a heap ob ingregiiims to make 
Dis Hoodoo drug — it's powerful medicine. 

(While stirring the mixture she chants 
a nroolfl chanson, and afterwards she 
dances round the pot while it boils — then 
pours the decoction into a bowl to cool? 

Alcide. 

(Aside) that jugglery h&s old Angels on hand? 



1* 

(Art&ole taking another powder from the 
medietas chest, she empties it into the 
bowl ?.nd drops the? imp or wrapper on the 

t loo r* ? 



Angel*)* 



(Stirrinrj the mixture? 
You allers knowed I was ft kind o'yerb 
Doctor— a Hoodoo Doctor ootnan aah — 
And honey— -what you most particular needs 
Is dis hero T*ove-rnix try— Now drink di» stuff. 

((Uille drinks the potion? 
And you will see your lover's g&Mt t#-ni£ht. 
You see ole Kartny don't know how to read 
And so she only knar a de powders by 
D© color ob de wrapper* 

(Picking up the empty wrapper? 

Ms is green. 

til 1«* 



You raust be color blind— that's blue! 



_Mu^*l a . 



(Excitedly? Dai's green. 

X wish dat X was dead* if dat ain't green. 

QtLUq. 



Hhat d*ffor«?co does it make ,? 

An^ele* 



~$br$ than you knows I 
( Angel o er c i t edl y ? 
wftl i whet's de matter? you seems kind o' dazed, 
(Aside) I hab mistook do powder shure. De Lord 
Porcib dls darkey dat nig ta ke . ( Tr eahl inp; ) X took 
3>e blue wrapper instead de gram; and (rod 
Almighty knows what's #wine to happen nex' — 
Deae ole eyes can't tell sewn from blue at night. 

(Turning her back to (Hille and slipping 
from her pocket a sr-g.ll flask of whiskey, 
she drinks a deep draught*? 

till a. 
What ails you? 



t^os* a weak spell. 



Ar.gele. 






-■ ; ." 



ir> 



(Aside, noting Angole from wj thout) Mountain Pew — 
Ang&le's panacea for all hums** ills* 

y 

Angela. 



(Aside? Fhen things goes crooked take a ifoiskey straight 

(Shakes her ha act duabJously as she looks at. 
the empty blue pftgar on the floo»*.? 
Dam yarbs will wipe de mexn'ry olefin away 
Till sum thin powerful come *>e break tie a pell , 
De Voodoos ^its dat stuff from Mexico, 
Dey say dat's what dey gib dat Corner. Queen 
Marietta iftiosisoe-bor she nought be* (Aloud? 
Com honey (ton' t you look so pale — you gwine 
To aeo your lover's dpeerit Shure to-night. 

(rutting owt the lirffit? 
Ghost tea oilers ginarelly likes de dark, 
So wo will wait for dofcbilupments now. 

(Alcide in a very light gpyina suit of 
cloth eg , taking a&v;-.r taf;e of the dgirknesg 
having left hat and shoes in the yard, 
slips slowly and, stealthily — ? 

Alp A do. 

(Just inside the room. Aside) 
Shades of ni«*ht shield *m that X may unaetf\ 
And unsuspected- solve U\i& mystery. 



Dene's gwine to be a sudden t storm j*ore long, 
J. has a kind o' «foiv#ry, eree*# feol. 

(Alci.de & idea va-J. Uiily across the room) 
(Mysteriously) Look yonder* honey — don't you see dat 

ghost* 
H&Ts A3, c j do ' s speeri t — 1 a» ghost J a. £iost J 
A good rust's better tkMi^a b«& 8ttticL S&h— 

(Exit Angel e. f 3hen slipping back softly 

to Otiile imd speaking in m affrishU'o. 

t&Usper*? 
I sees dat ste^ue wve &m&iRO'Rrfftake.; 
I heard a noise like garasuLts. rutt-lin'—Joa' 
A3 if a a? ear At p&ft&e4~~bftd 'fore de Lord 
Rah-- it '.* Mars Alek.e's statue come i^o life. 
Kase dese ole eyea §ee% il a* stepping Hound. 



16 

IjooK! lock! I sees it movin' — share's you* re bom. 
Pat status's hanted honey — you ain't gvine 
To ketch dis nigger fie re agin — Xo sab. 

(Alcide standing In the position of th;: 
statue and directly in front of it«) 

Alcide. 



(As Me? 
Angela unconsciously has given me 
tty cue. I will as best I can in these 
Condi lions personate my statue , *i\ich 
So faithfully has p£T5or.ajted me* 
I have assigned myself &. tUff icult 
Role, but pushed to the last est realty 
I'll do my best, though it- should undo me. 

Angele. 



Mar s Al tide's s t & tue ' S ac t in ' mough t y qu e er , 
(Aside) Vm skeeTed at my owrv machinations sah, 

Otille. 



My burring love has fired those marble veins. 

(Moving tgwarrtS thff Statue.) 

Angel e. 



Dskt statue's hanted honey — don't go dere. 

(She cannot restrain her excited mistress) 

Otllle. 
( App roach ing Al ci de ' s s ta tue . ? 
step forth from this marble prison-house — 
Ale ide— beloved — fold me to thy breast — 
Thy hot blood marks the ebb and flo^ of mine. 
There is no life for me save in thine arms. 
Sweet; could thy halting heart keep pace with mine, 
Such love as ours would distance death itself. 
Thine eyes, thy loving, &4?ky eyes, are stars 
'.Chat guLide my feet to Heaven. — fch^ only Hear en 
.There is forme. T'll light ^sir smouldering fires, 
I'll wake thee dullard with a bum ing kiss. 
My tQrrUl breath shall fan thy lips to flame, 
My surging blood shall stir thy sluggish veins, 
Ihese scalding tear-drops, dews of woman's love, 
Revive the roses on his cheek, look? 



1? 

I've found the love- philtre at last, eeel see? 

His lips ar^ scarlet and his eyes aflan . 

In all his manly beauty he is here. 

Ye gads! he moves, he breathes, soul of my soul— 

My life, my king! Jay! ecstacyi 

(Aleicia embraces Otille then releases her, 
and slips stealthily a^ay.) 

Angela. 



(Aside? I>em yerbs is w o*iit in on her-- e*s you're bom. 

(Alcids slips past Angela and exits.) 
(Aside) Ky tart dat ghost agin and no mistake. 

Otille. 



Where art thou? It is but a moment aim 

'Chy subtle touch electrified my veins, 

Thy kisses scorched my lips, my cheek, my brov;. 

What trick has tansy played we trusting heart? 

I clasp a shadow, consciousness is dazed, 

And what is life when thought is all unhinged? 

As fall She petals from tfee full-Mown rose, 

My senses, one by one, desert '/heir post; 

My pulse-beats ebb with thine, I feel that thou, 
life art slipping from my grasp. And lol 

The bridegroom fteath awaits me rr\ thy stead. 

Just when T, lifted my exultant voice 

I'm crushed beneath the Juggernaut of ^ate. 

(With one cry she falls and sinks into a 
death-like t2-er.ce. 'Che old clock strides 
on e , two , th ree . She di e s ap paren tl y ♦ ) 



c \i h 


n> a 

", t 1 


I 


N. 


ACT 


IT, 


- 




CJWW IN. 









(Knter in front of stage, SKADHACH, 
MflSOKACH and Ayro j 3%}0, a negro boy, and 
SNQTgpPXFT, another negro boy.) 

Shad., Hes. & Abed. 
Say Snowdrift — 414 ycu know young Miss is dead? 

Snowdrift. 



Yes Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 

Ob course I knew ft <l it, long before you did. 



18 

Shad. Me?. & Abed. 



Dey say young miss was hoodooed! 

Snowdrift. 



Mebbe so, 
And Shedrach. Meshach and Abednego, 
I soon a chost in Massa. Alci tie's r'oom. 



Shed. Men. ft Abed. 



You're lyin' Snowdrift. 

Snowdrift. 

No sah — dat I ain't — 
It was a walXin round and cuss in too. 
And Shadracfv Meshach and Abedreso 
I spec it's Here now, but I'm skeered to look. 

(Exeunt.) 

A C X TT. sojfljp, J t 

( A3. c j de ' s Bed rt? on . 

(Alcide's wet c3oth.es are lyin/* on the 
floor end he is discovered, enveloped 
in a sheet, sitting on the side of his 
dismantled bed. Snowdrift and ShadracH 
Moshach and Abednego, peeping in the room 
at Alcide.) 



Snowdrift. 
(Aside) Look ShadracH. Heshach and Abednego, 
Look yonder — don't you see it — da 1 .* s de ghost. 

(Exeunt. ? 

Alci de. 



Like &M%ey flashed from lovely woman's eye? 

That sudden torrent burst from smiling sxies. 

In weather prophets never no re trust I. 

Confound this sheet — I wjsh T had a pin. (Looking over 

thrt j'l oo r for one) 
The deuce take this impromptu robe de chamhro , 
That hath no iiiape, convenience — grace — nought save 
A weird-like pallor in its countenance. (Finds a pir. 

on the floor :yd picks it up) 
Thanks, awfully for this old, crooked pin 
AngSle, but I'm *,oo dull to see the point. 

(With difficulty pins the sheet around 

him. Holding up his drip ping cl o thes ) 



19 

My only suit of clothes available* (Propping them 

again and picking up his pocket-knife 
from the floo" where it had fallen #? 

Well RKjt $oe<i pocket-knife, my trusty blade, 

Come sharpen up my Fits with your keen edge 

And rig this sheet into a dressing-gown. 

And fashion thus a hasty pair of sleeves. (Cutting two 

armholes in the sheet end thrusting his 
arms through then. ) 

ISmergency tailor— at thy deft touch — 

This misfit gamer* t which falls limp, which hath 

No fit, may haply fall into a fit* 

(Picking tip his garments, one by one, 
wringing the ?<ater out of them find hang- 
ing them on the hack of a chair.) 

It was a lover's night— but all at once 

When I slipped back again into the yard 

The rain broke loose in torrents and it grew 

Ho dark I could not find my hat sr>d shoes. 

Confound that boat— to think that I should miss 

It and return to find my bedroom stripped 

Of every comfort, and my trunk down town. 

ffialks up and dorr, the roan) 

I'm shaking like an aspen — but I'll shake 

Till I'm as limbl ess as a cycloned pino, 

Vfr* I'll confess *hie escapade — and shake 

My darling's faith ir. me — I* IX di^ first like 

A cowardly dog. Bless her trusting heart. 

Otillef til lei for such a kiss were I 

A ni&er 9 I would give its weight in gold, 

But I'm a prodigal and pay my life. 

til lei that kiss was Heavr — It almost warms 
M© now. Per such another I will go 

To "Davy's locker" — (shivering) no time like unto 
The present. *?nen this chill shoves off and shifts 
Corporeal latitudes — sooth- -it may steer 
Into my mind and coo! its hot intent, 

(Springing Into bed) 
To-day I was as hot as Hades — new 

1 am transported to the frigid son.o, 

This is no dimb chill — hear it chatter — sounds — 

And not a blanket — nothing but this* cold, 

Uncanny sheet which soon may v- as shroud. 

•Biese nights are fickle as a.wcrw.ftVs love — (arising) 

Great Scott J that storm came up $v suddenly 

It almost blinded me— No render tK&t 

I could not find my hat a-nd- shoes. I left 

r Chera in tne garden-walk — §gt them I *ran$t 



1*1 









20 

At any rfgfe, 3h<jy *ju. betray mo— I 
..st got them quic^ — before ths morning breaks. 

(Looking; flpjmly at, h is ref le cti on In the 

ni r ror. ) 
X am unique in this a 1 1 1 r e- - T * d paaa 
For a banshee—I'm v/sll disguised I trust. 

(Discovers a box of matches? 
I'll take this box of matches — they may throw 
Some light on my unlucky hat end shoes. 
I trust that I may not participate 
In m& illuml nation. 

(Bxit. Inter ^(mmiFT. frightened and 

screaming* ) 

3noy drift. 

See* him Dash— 
fchos t e§ ©beryvfiHer^ • 
(Peeping b&efc? Seek him— Dash— seek him. 

Qfriter ATiCIDg ^Jt>t Kat and shoes in hand. 

seizing the frightened- d&rkey. ? 

Alcide. 



What made you. s«t that dog oft me f 

Snowdrift. 



PI ease sah 
It must have "feeeah some udder "higger — ouchf 
I nefcer set no dog ort you, MerS Oho§i. 

(Bxi-t) 

Ale i tie. 
My hand is bleeding 

(Wiping hist hend on his s hirt? 

Dash has bitten me! 
dreat £l«alfc -hound, u*\ere are the olfactory 
Kernes of your much belauded pedigree? 
'Xhe roistered instincts of your noble line, 
When you can't race &\i ate a, pal disguised 
In his nocturnals — (to to- -frauds — hounds-- -curs— 
*hat drivelling idiots love waXeS of iwan. 
Vho filches pleasure pays ten iii«§* ii&wortfi, 
Alas,* alas! *ho fathoms mischief finds 
A dam-$el at the 'bottom- -fur *e & t em all. 

(His teeth chattering) 
If I escape the hydrephobi a 
I * 1 1 &4e of at con ge s fci ve ?h i 1 3 , X ' m bo oke d 
For h— !, if I ftm not air*a&? there. 
Alack— a. da^l a kiSS, ^fcat cajKiofc boast 



A feather's weight, nay cost a fool hi* life* 

(Tfrtter AHfA.K, screaming .) 

Angela. 
iMy I*o!»l You hare* I 'lowed dat you was off 
For good. (Cryjns bj tterly) 

5">sr o ' s dr oadfti 1 news. Young Him is do. 

Aleide. 



*ton M©*U That can't be trtiel ^e is not dead. 

Hand me my clothes. 

s 

An&ole. 

l^ey's so akin wet. You lef' 
D© window open and it. rained last night. 
Bat* a how it come* You' a mighty koerless, chile, 
Lai dey's all bloody too- -but how oema dat? 



Dash mat haire ta^en me for $om8 one else. 

x 
Angels* 

.Dat's curua how Haah didn't Know >ou boy, 

But no thin' ain't suTP- f, *is'in' snh, dose days! 

Peso hero Koodoos been doin' Wild wrtt a^our* 

Peso premise a. ^out statue walked about 

.Right £ma?t last nifght* J Suppose do jewelry 

And de silver will bo a tr&vel ii-R ' next, 

And sAsn dey gees, dejr will -ferfcrt de way 

Back — you mind. I nnella fwUphnv in do aj r. 

But #\at you gvine to do abou^t clem clothes? 

Alcide. 



fhat can X do? I have no others her » 

X missed the beat and %%f% my tnii^fl donwt t-o^'n 

(renter .^QWDH.Tyy gri wnjnft.) 

N 



Here Snowdrift, r^^ylate dem o3 otttes-^wifflt haste — 

(Kxit Snowdrift m\h Alci tie's dripping 
clothes. 3»xJ i Anr:ele.? 

_Alcjt : ! 



the savage hath more wit Um^ cultured folk, 
Our Italic? is the power bfiiin<H&e. thvopi*. 
He is the sw around which we revolve, 



2? 

He marfcs th*» circle therein vre shall rovo, 

Is it a suit of clothes that mcUtes a warn? 

The lack of then doth mar him certainly, 

'Co fr«M» our thoughts we fetter then «ri$h words* 

To free our limbs re fatter them wtfW clothes* 

*Tia nought that in my Maker's taw $.j|^ I 

/on made? *C1:ii« XI the. nude, gupplfe £onn 9 but mock? 

My anxi ous • tortured, heart- 1 il le J 1 J 1 1 a J 

(Shier ANGEIVB? 
flod. this anxiety l* h«l£J h^ll hell! 

(S infra Into & chair and huriea his face 

in hie hands.? 

Angel e . 



(Cryj.ng? 
It's purty bad chile, but it can't be hoiked. 

(Angtel e exits. %xi t Aleido to adjoining 
room*? 

C T, o s r, i ; . 



(renter in front, twe negro SERVANTS. ) 

1st servant. 
* T 03* /i$terday young Miss was looking peert 
fin& fuvty as a pink and nor she's dead. 

3ft it Servant. 



Wh» folks dies suAcUrt — floeuwrs a Hers calls 
Dm S lateness ho art -failure to fci.var up 
Dare failin' to AisKiver do disease. 
It's noughty <|Heer — I 'lev dat somebody 
Has hoodooed her — has put a spell on her. 

(Kxeunt servan ts. 5frtt,er 1st and 2nd 

1st Ovaraeer. 



This death is mighty sudden — 'pears to me. 

ftp.d Ova raft or* 
Vest she ras veil and hearty yisterd&y, 
Doctor La Sage say* it's she heart -failure.' 

><eur.t. ) 



23 



( Death flhanbor, small room near front.) 
(l-'osro wnen, some we op ire:, crowd around 
the? coffin to te.Ke a, la«t look at thej r 
b el o v e d mist re s s * fix sun t al 3 bu t. 
Angela, rho watches tearfully besnle the 
coi.T'gQ' Knter AX-»PTxri3. Approaching? 
(h.llle he a* tar, da beside her* lifeless form, 
boy a his head and yo^sJ 

Anjgela* 



e) H breaks my heart-tit rings fur ter sec a bic 



Strong man a cry in* Ilka a baby, sah* 

Mara Aid do's all toreiwi up --pore boy, pore boy. 

Aloide* 



Not eren death can mar thy beauty, love. 

Ange3 e . 
Don't honey, don* t, tslre or so. folks will talk. 

Alcirie. 
(Unheeding, softly murmurs) OtJlle — 

(Her eyelids ci'.iver» he stands spoil 

bound? 
(Aajde? A n X d smarted? In this real? 
A smile aeons hove ring 'round her rose-bud lips. 
She lifts her satin eyelids as a f3 ower 
Unfolds its petals to the s\m — She lives. 
(Aloud) Angel e , you r ml s t re $v 3. iv e s • (Aairtu? 

T.ove wakes the dead. 
I dare not stay. X shall betray myself. 
(A3. cud) Go tell her husband that she lives. X saw — 
Her move — mice has to- -make haste — 

(KxJt, Angela) 
(Aside) Wy love- -my love? {Ktsses lier passionately 

and exits* afrter AKCtKLK and WjflTORN. 



Voyh-n 


m w3 


th ! 


h 9 


more jr) 


.g newst 


>aper 


in his 


hand , 


sppe 


rep 1 


3 y 


el 


a *v* 


©us 


of 


his 


su r- 


round. 


- ng.°. , 


ts* 


es 


a 


seat 


in 


a 9 


eclu 


ded 


eo me 


p of 


tfc 


ro < 


am 


snd 


r as tls • 


Bit 


or a. 



g en tl. em an a c miai n tan ce . ? 

Angel e . 
Toting Mist: ain' t dead. rse Ale ids said he seed 
Her move. 



24- 



yayburr,» 
Alcide's an m$ — a lunatic 

Accua? n tan go • 



I sa^ her stir. 



Woy_biirn, 



( Imjj f f e rt-rnt 3 y ) 
?o ss i b3 y • X ' m on gage d — { re adg ? 
I'm reading. Toll th« Doctor if yov. wish. 

( Con t?' nue 3 road 1 ng ) 
(Asj.de? What's a dead nigger to a»\ oversoer? 

'An.gp3 o» 



(Anologotjeally ? 
DAa tmbble has upset Mars Weybum'a mind, 

(Rubbing QUllo vigorously? 
Please, Sah # fur lord's eake« s?fjp.d do Doctor quick! 

(Kxi t AccuaJ nt smog ) 
(Aside? My I*o r! dat'it scandalous, Kara Weyburn should 
Resr^' appearances, to say do least. 

Ufetfar dr. lk BACr?:,} 



Dr. 



Shs's dead I toll you* fiat's all Ifeis about? 

CTiOSS IF. 
(Knier jr, front, A* J CT»S.? 
Angole* 



(Aside) She ajn' t d«nrt nut her. Xt's den yorbs, dern 

yerbs — 
But I Bin* t gvin* to c*ve myself amy. 
1*11 co to Mars Ale ids to-nieht md tell 
Kin 'bout don ywrbs. Ho knows dar. she ain't dead. 

CM i Angol o? 



CHANGE 07 PC 



A c y XT. 

Srmy, XT: Metalrie Ridge Graveyard. 

(Professional ( ! rab, Angel o, )'« "iavant and 
Pr. Greco''JA'. i, : rnb untying ifti emptying 
a bag of tools , speedily began* rorki the 
doctor a,asiat5.ng him.) 



*/ * m 

(Asia a) T he night* a as black ?,s Allele's face, save itoere 
Yon straggling lanterns flicker in the aky. 

Angel P. 



Cone Saetar, tell Aft £sab to aa»« clj 8 war. 

Angel e 

(Mr acta them to a i'rash mound? 

Mars Waybuni says he's g??ine to hab a al*b 

0" marble oher yeung Mi«s grav«. (Aside? X heard 

Kiffl mutterin' to htssoif dat hie fine tomb 

Waa lea* fur white folks, dat yas scandalous — 

(0* Mai ley, the emaciated sax ton plays the 
sentinel* ? 



!)r. 



Upon the principle; it takes a ghost 

To catch & ghost, O'Malley'e prewar a tuff-- 

A fitting bone > ami sentry — Yat, forsoot 

That phaeton sentinel he, a human parts. 

then he hettn& of a girl .Interred alive, 

The mournful tale, sat to tha cl ink of gold. 

Touched hie k?,nd, trhiaAcay la**ing Xrish heart. 

Alcic! . 



(Reliefs the 3)r. arid the Onr?Jb«? 

I'll te>.e a turn an& iat you tafee a rest. 



(They hea r> a noige, «hay stop tlu-i r wo -;. 
I'hen c-.l 1 is a i len t . The y r ec ommen a e 1 1 1 c i .• ■ 
labor a; again they hear a at- range mat- 
*.Un,': no .lee near by. ''hey drop their 
tools.) 



Angel e. 
Iiorl ha* mercy. Den' s de graveyard ghosts, 



86 

I hears do re winding sheets ft mstiLlh' » Sah. 

I'se feared dey g^ine to speerit us away. 

Jes' hear dat thunder — Vv& sheered, Sri*— ain't you? 

(The !)r» smiles at her terrors, while the 

thunder ra t tl eg . ? 
Dcm*t laugh when God's a talk in* • You is old 
Enough to have politer manners, boy . 



(Again the si 


;range 


rus t 1 ing sound, ; the y 


look aghast at one 


an. other in 


the un canny 


glare of the 


tttteJk 


lightning. 


Suddenly 


the voice of 


the owl Too whoo 


, too whoo 1 



rings through the sombre night. ) 



Dr. 



(Resigning work? We have no time to lose. 

Grab. 

(TrJe^ the earth with a borer? 

w©Vo nearly reached the coffin — pass the spade. 

(Resumes his work? 

Give me the grapplers with the ropes attached; 

Now help ne to adjust thee, and we'll soon 

Have everything O.K. Sirs. { Ad j u s t a rop es and g rap pi o r s ? 
Hoist her up. 

(They lift the coffin carefully and depos- 
it it beside the grave. Tb Angele. ? 

(fet mc the wrenchers and make haste I 

(Foots tops are hoard, approaching? 

Angel e . 



(Drops the wrench ers) M y 7,or' J 

Somebody's comin' J 

(The sound is dying away in the distance, 
fr'ork has ceased and each of the party is 
straining his ears to catch the faintest 
echo. Again footsteps are heard. Near- 
er and yet nearer they come IT" 

It walks like a ghost. { Angel e crouches trembling! 



beside the tomb-stones, when several suc- 
cessive flashes of lightning reveal h^r 
with the v^.isksy bottle at her mouth. 
clap of thunder startles her; she turns 
her head, she sees the pale, emaciated 
sexton, urknown to her and starts , shiver 
her b o t tl e e. nd s c re ams . ? 



27 



Lor' J lt*« a Shu re miff $\oat, a 3klrtR' ghost. 
Why can't folks &i« tXl over, when dey dies 
And r*ot bo comin' back to worriwent 
Do livin^- 



"extor.. 



(Xn a li^ht waterproof ) 
Och! begorra! it* a to sav® 
Funeral expinsos that I'm walking round. 
Shu 1*0, death's the me re if idlest thing in life 

Grab. 



( Api'iXi o 9 wr mi che rs ) 
We'll have the coffin opened in a flash I 

Dr. 



(T4fts face cloth? 
The casket's open. *?here your treasure lies. 

Alcide. 

Death* p. hand hath crushed both thee and mo, my pearl. 

"Tiowe'a labor lost." Xt's useless; she's as dead 
As a door nail. Poor follow, poor, poor boy J 
Kxp«?ri«nf!« will teach you that love- plays 
A minor part in these prosaic titles. 
$hi« practical ago accords sentJmert 
A back seat-^- 

Alcicie* 
:hJ hush! graveyard jokes aro grii 
Go homo and leave me with my dead. She's mine — 

(The others rat, re at) 
Alive or dead, she's nine and mine alone! 
OtiXle! Otillof You will not come to me, 
Bo I have come to stay with you, Otillo! 
'rhir, graveyard vi th your dear, cold hand in mine, 
Seems nearer Heaven than Heaven itself. She moves! 
Am I the sport of fancy and my nind 
A cursed, enchanted spot where fcoboltls hold 
Their rovels? 

Pr. 
(-ease your ravings, tmdmonl peace! 

(A.Hide? ' Twas but a trance, the counterfeit of death! 
(Aloud? the woman l?"ves, but yovj> wild rhapsodies 






Our thereabouts, and di? concert our plans, 

(A3, c % ile 1 i f t s 1 A 3, 1 e in h i a s t r o ng p. m s) 
Consider well, *hw danger of delay* 

ji coach awaits her — haste — be off ritii her. 
Angele and X will follow in your wake. 
(Turns to Arab? Now lower the coffin and replace the 

earth 
For God's sake hurry up and let's away. 



(Alcide safely bears his precious burden 
thtteiigh the Minding storm. Dr. Ore, end 
Angels follow* Alctde slops end kisses 
Otllle's pale face passionatel y. The 
llghtnlr.c reveals the act.) 



(To Alctde? Just put a brake on your affections. Let 
Discretion lead Mind passion by the hard. (Kxeunt. ) 



C L B S I N. 



(:Rnter m front, two negro LACKEYS.) 

1st Lackey. 

Doctors has a hankering for stortiy nights. 
De Doctor said I could expect hin shure 
Befo' de break ob day. He 'lored dat he 
Was cvfine to bring his patient and a friend 
Alonf; vld hin. 

£t& Lackey. 



I hears folks talk in' now. 

(gxeunt.) 



29 

A c y XT: 

SCESB XT7; (Small room, near front. POCT0K. ALCXPE, 

OTXX/LB arid ANGBL>:»? 

Otille. 



( Reviving) 'Chey tell He I was buried# and yon brought 
s back to earth — X owe my %lf& tj& yo , 
Since you have resurrected mo, I an 
Your child, born of yx*ur love J 



Ale 5 do. 



Aral, I'm your slave. 



Omie 



Your voice awakened me, but X alasJ 
BeriamfcereU nofhteg of 'he past. How came 
fte hero? And who am X and who are you? 

Alcide. 



X an your lover, your Idolater, 

X love you dearest, tr£th' a t^o-fold love. 

A pa rent's sacrificial tenderness 

WifJi all a lover's fir®, J b~?nc to you. 

Dr. 
Alc2de, this woman must be taken bac> 
To her husband. There's no tfving left for me 
To do and I would like, to wash my hands 
Of 4 i^.is abominable business. 
X heard a Mexican practi tioner 
Discourse on the peculiar properties 
Of that strange herb* which Angel e by mistake 
Administered to this unfortunate 
Lady. I do re I speak from personal 
Kxi e r ien c e , bu t th e t r ad i t i or, c 1 a ims 
To:' this dread plant *:he fabled properties 
Of the Bcyptian T.oUih. In that case 
Her memory may be lost for years, perhaps 
Forever. It is best to J*; now the worst. 



." 



30 



Ale lde« 



girl, shall X take? yau horte again? 
You need a husband's constant care. 

Angel e. 



(■?adly slices her head? No J noi 

I'll hide her In my little shant,y fust # 

And «roH? for her myself* Dare's plenty food 

And close for my '11.11 gal, «n deee ole arms. 



I am a$ homo. X Jenew no ether home, 

0<> toll the ban* upon its mother's breast 

To find a home. You are my ^forld, my all, 

Pe>e, mere, frkre, soeur, Dleu* Vous etes tons dans \m 

Dr. 



(yj.l^.ns hj.s eye s? A pretty |?iekl* for a bachelor. 
But X r?.ll stand by you, boy, come what may. 

Otille* 



Are you all tired of me? Wh? didn't you let 

di© in peace* Who an X? Whore am X? 
You say X'm resurrected? Is this Heaven? 
I'd rather be welcome In Hell* than scorned 
In vr * ; v ■-■-, end m X nought to you, Alolde? 

(She becomes again unconscious.) 



J)r. 



Share is sea© Mystery that neither you 

Nor I can fr. trior u fhj It Angel e? 



Angela, 



Sah« T can't tell you nuthir — case X ain't 
Got Ruthin for to tell* sah. Mars Alcide 
Don't nwor let no harm come rear dat chile 
Sh©'s part ob dls ole niter's heart, Sah. 



Car. trust mo Angellqi.© 



AlcJde. 

You 






. 



31 



AngtO *,• 



Yes, T can true* 
Yon. (»od bless my po"Fgbaby, ( Aside? end cle Iior' 
Forgive ns. SSho's tie ere an ob da s pore yairth. 

Ale?,'. . 



nceforth, I'll act a broth ' part •*> hor. 
Are not all suffering buttnarv.it y 

?-roth*rs ami sisters? Aye! Hhe Convent's strong 
Protecting arw-- shall Ice op her safe from hajrw. 



C V R !A! . 



33 
A C T TT7. 

Three years l&w. 

(Bhter in front, A>«ci^K and O'tTO,?,,? 

(Qtllle, noy widoy ""'eyburn, dressed, jr. 
deer jnou»T.in ;) 

i wi n i m i i ■ m i ' * ' i m 

Aloi&e* 



two long, long weary years have passed love #ineo, 
That railway aoei&ant, vhioh widowed yeu. 
When ce.n I el elm this dainty hand, my sweet? 
"And the sunlight elaspa *he earth 
And the moonbeams kiss the sea, 

aft ar»« all the 86 kissing? worth, 
Xf thou kiss not mo" 
So sings the poet, cheVie — 

Ah J sweetheart mine; 
I'm that sunlight i *t%ou *fce earth, 
T that moon, and, -thou the sea, 
And thege hissings love* are Forth 
All the world to me. 

(Trleg to yiB^ her, but- she resists hJm? 

Otille. 



I've searched «$\e mouldy niches of Bards 

* my ideal of perfect love, and lol 
Beheld my pear 3. of poesy. I've found 
It in the sonnet hay, in $hieh the Ru 
And Day are lovers. Not the Sun and Earth. 
The Karth sleeps, while the Sun* a away, although 
She wa&es at his return. Hor yet the Sea 
And Hoon. The Sea can live without the Moon, 
Although the surging of Its mighty heart, 
Its quickened p-d.so and swelling bosom tell 
2hat it Is not unconscious of the Moon's 
Soft glares. But My, fair, faithful hay, can no 
More live without the Sun, than I can live 
Without they. At night she sleeps not, but die 

ause her lover's face is turned from her, 
Another Day will welcome his return. 

Alcide. 



And would you. die dear, should my face be tinned 
From you. Do you love thus, Otlllef 



33 

nttiie. 

Thou art 
The air T breathe, kc light, my life, When I 
No longer sav !he Xtrce-llght in thine eyes 

I drooped, as feints the hay vhen shades the 9ton 
His vision with a murky cloud, but burst 
From •&« tomb at *fey verm embrace, as Spring 
Kisses the seed, that lie* buried into bloom. 
Hast thou not often tcld me *fcat love 

as so ftod-like, so powerful it rould 
Not loose its hold, but trrestled hard with death, 
And snatched me freei its clutches. 5Chen an T 
Not thine, forever thine an.d only thine. 

VlQr lover snatches her to h3s breast? 

Ale J de . 
Now let mo hear that poem of perfect love — 

(0 tills releases herself, recites? 

r> a y. 

th Love's impassioned lips, the Sun-God kissed 
the Morning into life- -then lightly di^- 
From blushing Dawn hex* coverlet of mist, 
And fteught her %* his breast and cl d her through 

Love's crucible to perfect Pay. Rut lol 
Though ' round her fo v n his shirrierins ferei play 

And drop their cold upon }wt* bosom's snow 
From charms so lightly son, he turns ava . 

hold! h* stabs her vi th his parting gl&nee 
And spills her blood upon the evening skies. 
With waxen tapers, catcher stars advance 
While mourner Uig - tnds croon her dJ rgc and cry; 
Kow aeon tho sun will kiss another d 
And in these arms another vie tin lay. 

Shen I was cold in death, £Ui you rot kiss 
Me into life with lore's i«t»assi oned lips? 
Is it not true Alcide? 0! say you like 
The poem, say that it is beautiful. 

Ale ids. 



It is the pulsing of a human heart, 

A loving Oman's heart, T hear 11 throb 

In every line. Love i§ a so^ezr&r 

'#ho makes a poem of prosaic life. ("xeun t.? 



54 

wwvt IX: 



(Street* »\ter ©TOM and ALOIJiF..) 



Ale 5 da. 



I felt no tnt*reat ir. the play to-night 

I sa? : ' your' husband's (jhoet* Xt tenant ed me. 

omis. 



Hotf stJUfcnce fchat X cannot remsnbe r 

That I have no remembrance of fJhe past . 

I first commenced *.o live vhen rour dear voice 

Recalled ne from tJ\e tomb, early youth, 

Mr iaftrri«4 life is all a blank to me. 



(Overtakes Otille c'.nd AJ.cj.de) 
My friends, there's mischief brer in**, X just heard 
Skase !>a£oes, speaking in their native teniae. 
Xt seems that Tyburn's death yhs but & false 
Report — that he has heard about hi* rife — 
'Chat he under a pseudonym attests 
Diacuise, hut Mm tebello t$ fjfee spouse; 
Tney say of Tne?;, ^eyburn's paramour, 
And is rot one to bre«k an irsul % but 
Will make it pretty het for w eyburn here. 

( 35x A t 3)r . (.? re . Tro f i cu re s e re r;3 i fli n~ 
s t. e a). th ? 1 y al on ; f : th e s t re e t . ) 

©tills and Alcide. 



Can it be possible that ^eyburti lives? 

ffeyburn. 

(A ins at AlcJdo? 

I'U hit him if X die for in. 



( M i s s q 3 A3, c id e an d si * e o t s th ro u/?h h i s 
hir.h hat. ) 



Inez. 

<Uve me 
She pistol, g&iek end I'll spoil Madame* s face! 

( 'fixe bul .le t grase s ti 1 le * s tfcoul der ; 
tafc inf: advantage ol' the darkness and the 
con fu a ion, Vq y burn an d In e z e sc ap e . 
Qtille screams ar.ri fal Is. A crowd 
gathers around her. Alcide la silent.) 

Aleide. 



(To Otille) You are not badly hurt, I'll call a cab 






And Ari.ro you to your* door* ?rd then good by a 
Until 7. find Voybiirn ^1 ire or dead. 

xeur.t. ) 



rv. T TT: 



($ho Haf* 



A y*ouisiana 


JSarsh by torchJ 


.i**ht . 


A 


wood- cutter 


vo th his dog. 


J>0ttfC 


tire 


H«r*nn«i33fla j ar 


id oth(irs« some 


carrying 


to rche s . 


aaa b$6n found 


by tin e 




A dead body 


W d- 


flutter's don: in an iisfproriaed gravo, end 



is awaiting U'.e co-oner. 

Enter !^.P<y,y.yy-> wi th not.w-bodk.? 

Reporter* 
&i venvt* Some ft>i%t$ 3 oil Sleuth . (Aside? I've get a beat. 

; etective. 
( -'o Reporter) 

The coroner irtll be hsra 2>retty soon. 
And fc-fci 1.1 that reman* Znes has not ccmo; 
She it' th< ^ of this V trdenar* 

And *$&& the eaistreas of this siirderod mar.. 
8 real name is Veyburn, T hs.ro 3e^meu, 
• told tie ah© could prove her husband's guilt « 
e tin© Is up — (Lookr; at hAfi ystxh?- - s'.iul still she is 
not here. 
She prosiiaed U sho rould by tr4efc, decoy 
aa Dago f el lews here that saw It all. 

(Points, to the d es,d w&M- • ) 
apod-cutter'a doc found hln lying; dead, 
-e in the mrah, c--- you a< .row. 



••?. 



Peacefully he aleer*? in Ma inr revised 
Orave of withered learea« V end lattania. 

Poor follotr, ha found a soft berth at last. 
(Aside) She Tiwa» von* t scoop the Picayune to-ni^ht. 

Center V.M7, end PAQQRS.? 

Petect ive* 
Here comes fthc woman and her witnesses. 

(Inez, wife, of Je'su Christ 3 apntebello,. 

hands a pai-er to the detective.) ' 



t - 



■ 






■ 



or 



In t&, . 
Hera pa are Mr, Hennessey, at le.pi. , 
I found this note to Wsgrburn or the 1*3 on r 
After the row, the night of thSTnaiee, 

that's v#iy he as ?,t tigfct. 

T)q te ct ive « 
( Read! nn tii q mi g »i v e g.l ou u ? 

alone tD -night at eight, Ines.* 

Snss, 



I never vrote, it, Je-su Ohristi nua 

Harv written it, for he writes H* h well, 

Bat estiva* 



( Asl do? i fridoub t etf.l y it served as a decoy, 

Tnea » 
She note fell f row his poeket # T supposo, 

Detect ivo . 
(As? do? *hii.e ho fell, into HontebeJ la's tre.T.. 

Inez * 
Q r iewing the corps--?) 
that's hia* the men that ?«*u ChrlatJ stabbed* 



Detect Av:.:. 
s*ho's j! iristi? 

Xr.ea . 



Xlo, sir 
And «t$su flhri *%1 ia his Christ* an nama, 

^ete .ot i"? » 
(As tile? A Chri stian najae, Kit rot a Christian act. . 
A pretty son of God. — the setirrjr saa»*« — 

Ir.e & . 



well, ?*su Chriati ia my husband t air, 
And Weyb .. »m * & th a '©a t , j its t so - -(Passing her hand 

_ ao r <>s s th e Pe te st i ve * s thro a t ) 

I sat 
Kill do it, CrioveH'tijMiguAJ.j 

Maazir.i end U&igi seen hfn foe (pointing respectively 

to each.? 

Dei estiva. 



Doas this Italian woman spet.k the truth? 



37 
(Mar.alni shakes his head from side to 
aide) 



Ho, Signer no see < T eeu kille< man. 



T.uJ&i 



no 5-t>o nodding, no hear nodding, me 

Go sleepy all t ime. 

Miguel. 

Mee too. 

C- io van ni . 

Me de saise^ * 

(In e?; ig gtrv.clr ri t.h an onnlious dread 
at., their eullfT rafcie ar.ee t*>d weeps bit 



■ a- . ) 



Inez * 



oh don' t te3 .1 J&ati I cave hf.n ft way — 

Santa Maria! ho will murder me. 

(Asid*:? Look! there's Conch eta, his eld mother, aho 

l^ist have been sneaking round, so she could hear. 

— Save me — save me — Jesu wi 11 murder me* 

(Snter CQNOHy/rA.j 

Concheta. 



We'll fix you. We'll get even niih you yet. 

( ft ea t J c r. 1 at i ng , f r nr ■ . i c al ly th ro rri ng 
herself or *i.e gfAincj, Ix-at in^ hor bree,3t 
and t. earing her hair in a frenzy at this 
wanton violation of the $ acred lava of 
the yfn&et ta« then raising herself to 
her fu.ll height, lifting her withered, 
prophetic &nn, like & sibyl of old, she 
""hiss 03 ir\o In ex 1 s ear) 

Jtay the Vandetta 1 e lightning strike your heart. 

(Swift upon her mr&s, a rifle shot whiz- 
7.es fron yori;? anbv.scede. Inez dies*? 

Die traitress, die b- ihe VendSt^' s hand. 

So perish all who violate its oaths. 

Hail! Holy Virgin! jlsu is avenged! 



CURTAIN. 



38 
A C ? IV. 

(Plantation negro minstrels* Negro songs 
and dan, cos vi »h bar jo accompaniment* 
ifoeunt.) 



5C1CT X: (Guest chambers of the De vjavant Plan- 

tation* 

(Xn summer house actrntd shrubbery, game as 
in Act X, Seer ft 



(At rise of curtain, ANflKKR discovered 
with her small black boy SNOWDRIFT, watch- 
in/*; beside her nig tress, now Madam de 
vjavant* IfrUer DR. GRKGORXQ, looking at 
1 i 1 1 a , h i 6 pa t i er t , who i s ' s 1 eo p i ng . ? 

Dr. 6. 



Do not disturb your distress. Let her sleep. 



•-. 



An rre3 9. 

Young miss is poorly Doctor since de day 
Dat she end Mars Alcide go-t married sah 
And dat was 'bout a year after do? found 
Mars Weyburn in de bushes, back o' town. 
X'n all broke up about dis bi?ness, eb.ile 
My heart's a-shakin' like a yarthqiiake. X'm 
Jes* worrited to death about young miss. 
You kn ows s ah , ho w impa t i er. a te da t b o y 
Was for his weddin' nuptials. Why he could 
Scarcely rait for de ceremony, Bah. 
Well, hiw and her was like tv/o turkle doves 
A bill in' end a cooin' in de nest, 
About as happy as folks gits to be 
Dis side ob Heaven; when one fine morn in' dis 
Bapscallion, Snowdrift, you knows him well, Sah. 
Dis black imp ob mine sot do house a f ire. 

(Snowdrift tries to slip out.) 
Snowdrif t— stay here— -whar X kin keep my eye 
On youl folks neb be r knows what debblement 
Dere chiller's up to, 1 sher. dey's out ob sight. 
At dat parti klor time, d© fright was more 
Dan she could stand. Dey fetched her to de gu.es t 
Room whar she and Mars Weyburr. used to stay 
Whsr. dey was visitors here, and she lay 
Onsensible ontil dat orful night 
When she come to, and found herself back here, v 

(Snowdrift gets behind Dr. and, Angel e, 

anu Piuses himself by turning somersaults? 
Here, in her same ole bed, her seme ole room 
And de sane ole clock wid t%& ev«r step. 












* I 

1 



-y * 









JA 















• 









r\ f *\ 






39 



Tramp — tramp— tramp — treading on de heels o' time, 
And trampin' on her pore young heart. X 'low 
She thought she'd see Mars *ayburn too, arc! hear 
Kin cussin' of her XiJ« he used to do, 

(Snowdrift sorge results out of -room? 
X 'low it was dat cl oclr what's bringin' beck 
De olo time misery. «*as' as some ole time 
Will take us way back yonder* *»hen I hears 
De bar jo strikin* up, I'm in do field 
Agin, a hoein' cotton, boy, in dan 
High ole times, when niggers was niggers, Rah 
And. didn't havo no doctor's bi lis to pay. 

Dr. G, 



You've never thrust your wealth on me, old girl. 

ftoere do you hide your shekels, Madame Dives? 

(Exit Dr. (rregorio and Anggle. Otille 
slumbers peacefully, a dim night lamp 
is burning. Enter ALOXDK, treads softly, 
worn out with watching he threes hiree!?.' 
on a sofa near the couch of Oti lie and 
falls asleep* Otille awakes to conscious' 
nes s • ) 



SCWr. IX. Sane. 

Otille. (Arising? 

I wonder where I am. l"y head foals strange. 
My mind seems so confused; now let me try 
To gather up my wardering thoughts end give 
Then shape. A former life cones back to me — 
God, am I the hated Octoroona 9 
As opes the flower its petals, Memory 
Unfolds hiir secrets, one by one, to me. 
Is this the drunken *«ybi?.i!*n here be s? de 
Me? And am X his rife, his wretched wife? 
And I had dreamed that I was Ale i do's bride 
That every aching void his presses filled. 
But ♦his suspense is unendurable — 
I'll solve this riddle — come what may. 

(Striking a natch and holding it above 

he r husband' s head. ? 

A! aide, 
Hjf husband! you have brimmed my cup with bliss — 
(Softly? joy! re s t ra in thy ecstasy — lest th ou 
Disturb the slur* era of my well-beloved. 
I'm blessed beyond r% r wildest dream (kne^ljng? My God, 



40 

J. lift mi" voice in gratitude to Thee. 

(Approaches the old time clock) 

Have I not heard that clock some*. ere before? 

Tick— tick, it rings no back to bygone hours, 

Cfod! X live again that fatal night, 

The skeleton long bt\a*ied is unearthed. 

(Going towards the blooming night Jasmine 
\»>hich still sends its perfumed breath 
through the open rindow.? 

'Ihe faint, sweet odor of the Nigh t Jasmine 

Is rafting me upon, its fragrant rings 

Across the vasty sea of vanished years, 

•Qse Lethean cup no longer drowns my grief 

A subtile perfume or f an i liar air 

Will oft recall the scenes of o*her days 

And so that tick- tick* brings remembrance back 

T.o me. She spell is broker, Wizard clock J 

tCfaou art the mystic Key that has unlocked 

She portals of Lang Syne. Crvizi memory holds 

•Ihe mirror up to me. I gase aghast 

0! Miserable present! wretched Past? 

( Sinking into a chair and burying her 
face in hm" hands . overcome with sicken- 
ing ma^ories. Pause, 'Then exit. 
An/tele er. tern, standing at open door.) 

SCK&fE XXX* Angel e. 



Young miss ain't had her sheer ob misery yit. 
}ler^ comes Luella rid dat brat, ob hern, 
She says dat boy is hers and w ey burn's son; 
fhat chic dat hussy has to try and rob 
My pore, x>or^ suffer* n* baby ob her rights. 

(Km or unflJ»A and her young SQF.) 

Luel la . 
I ri sh to see Madsme de ,r iavart. 

An/rele. 
She ain't at horn'?. 

Luel la. 
(Taking a seat) She is at home- -I saw 
Her at the window just as X came in* 



41 



Angels. 



(Aside) What impudence I What style dat rag puts or- I 
riy Sliss is allers out to sich lor/ down, 
White trash like her. I takes da t on myself. 
(Aloud? You makes a mistake. Hy *»img miss is out. 

(Otill e and her father Don Oliviera 

appeal? at door.) 



Otille. 



That low Miella, Weyburr. used to fceep 

Is in this room, and 1 shall soon find, out 

What business brings that re nan to my house, 

Don 0. 



Yon must not speak, to such a character. 

Otille. 
I have resolved to have this mystery solved. 

(Don 0. vainly tries to detain Otille. 

Angel. q rushes to his assistance. 3%\te 

OTEJ.T^.. ? 
(To Angela? Don* t interfere rltfe me. 
(To Luella? Wha t cio you wi sh 
With me? J, an Madame de ^iavant. 

Luel.la. 



I come to tell you, 7. an tf«ybttro' s wife, 

And. this here boy is ourn. When Wayburo thought 

'Chat you was dead, he mar rood me because 

This brat was his, but now since you've turned up 

I don't get Feybum's money. But folks say 

That you ain't white and X can c*t. it all. 

But I won't go to law, if you'll give up 

Without a fuss. But I must &i *, my rights, 

though Fey burn ran off with that Inez, wife 

Of JeVa Christ?., my certificate 

Shows I an V-'ey burn's wife and no mistake. 

(Knter. DON QJJvmRA unnoticed.) 
They say your mother was your father's slave, 
An Octoroone whose name was Natalia; 
Your father had her taught till she became 
A smart, fine lady; then when you was born 
He went and married her. That's gospel t-*v.e. 

Don 0. 



(To Duel la? You are a liar— leave this house. 

(Pointing to the door with hand uplifted) 









>:■ 



42 
Iiuellfu ( Pound i ng th e f 1 oor v 3 1 h 
her parasol? 

Touch me 
If you dare — (a dvancing brazenly toff ar da him? 

Touch me 

r>on 0. 



No thanks, excuse me— 

I would not touch you with a %m foot role. 

(To otille? She Knows ho?r proud your husband is and hope: 

To bully you out of your legal wealth „ 

And set it as hush-money for her son. . 

Come, come, my child, this la no place for you. 

(To Luella? With men my rap?. or point responds forme 

But I hold no discourse rJtfc gabbling drabs. 

(Loading Otille to door* Luella paces 
the floor like an infuriated tigress.) 

T>u el la. 



In suited $ ha! them fools shall pay for this. 

Otille. 
(Excitedly? tfho am 1? What am I? Pray toll me sir'' 

l->on 0. 
Child, ca?jn yourself and I will tell you all: 
That rabble merits only ; our contempt. 
Association *ri *:h inferiors 

Butt drags you to their Isrel* They can find 
No proof to verify what they assert. 
In >Xirope where yeu married *eybum, rafl 
Is no impediment to legal tios. 

But this concerns you not. Child, you are vjhilx?. 

CKxit Otille.? 

Luel la • 



Q^uri ougly) ^ill she give up? 

Don 0. 
Emphatically ho? 

You only beat yoxtr head against the vail, 
tir efforts are in vain: jrmi have no proof. 

J»ue 3. la • 



You two ain't coin. 1 to git ahead of me 
You bet . You villainous old hypocrite. 

ixeunt. ) 



(Ehter PTILLK ar.d ANflKTiK.) 
Qtille. 
Array mo ^.n »y bridal robes Angel e 
And garland »e vi tii blossoms, rich and raro. 



43 



Who is yer gvine Ml marry no*' chile? 

Qtille. 

Death, 
My bridegroom's fciss rill quench these raging fires, 
(Pointing to Angel e? Happier yon sparrov in h®r low3 y 

flight 
Than though she were a princely falcon's mate 
^hose eagle-eyed, but feebly-pinioned brood 
Could neither reach the eerie high nor be 
Content within the lo?rly mother reet. 

Arnele. 
hook hero, chile, ^hat yov, %ete® mo for? I ain't 
Ho sparrer. *hon J gits vi ng? , dey ain't gvj no 
To bo dat pattern, and don't yea forget. 
My Lor J she got dera luny spells agin, 

Otille. 

v 



No Angele, 7. could almost wish that I 

Wore mad and all this vretchednefls a freak 

Of Fancy, ice me beautiful to -day; 

My dusky splendors irresistible, 

'.'(hat I may ravish Al side's doting eyes. 

"Chat 1 may in his memory dwell, as some 

Sweet vision of departed loveliness. 

Some joy ecstatic, yet intangible, 

Hhftt X may rot pollute him with its tone . 

( Kxi t ti lie, Ang al e hea rj ng Al ci d e ap- 
pro a fining, advances to meet him. ) 

Scene IV, ssme. 

(Bnter AVOIDS.) 



Angel, e. 



Don't git skeered honey, tout a 1'heure young Miss 
Cfv? ine git all right. She J es a little qua re 
She wild, she &e& she gwlne to marry Death, 
And so X up and tale hor I wouldn't, keer 



44 

To tackle more'n one husbsn' at a Ua . 

She 'lowed da*. X'm a sperrer. Does X look 

Li-He one? Wo niggsrs Rin*t no high-flyers* Sah, 

, 'pears life* we 1 s a leetle bit sbewe 
Dem hop pin' tilings. Pat chile ain't like herself. 
Ihsre's sumthin preaeJn' on her heart, dat keep 

r study in* too much--Xt's <es werriosfit 
Ob do mind; when I gits to study in right 
Smart , Sah g I most gits luny rays elf, fur 
A £*«*• (flute r 171.1 .ff superbly dress pel in bridal 

array, rath flowers wreathed about her. 

She red ins 3 or. ologent divan. AngeJ e 

rung to hsr erd throws a light coverlet 

over her) 
Chi! o, den' t . o ■■ . w -v. ie k iv er or ? 

otmo« 

I (throwing off the cover? 
X want Bay hue banc'.- -e end hin her . 

n-.y.i ' Angel o? 

Alcide. ( . caching his wife 
oti lie) 



What is the matter? A>v you ill# Oti lie? 

Oti lie. ( Ar i si ng? 



Alan! a wound no ©art hit power can heal, 
Prepare to hate ,-our one 9 beloved wife, 
I'll wear the searlet letter, ere I'll Iiide 
shaeis liXo some foul t sneer in my breast. 
Come close, rnu let tie afcisper in your ear 

cruel vords--je suie una octoroon » 
Why don't you. shoot us both and. end it all? 

A3.pi.de. 



Because X ar. ♦ hue be. A X love 

You. Xt is meet that X should help you bear 

Your burden, whatsoever it may be. 

( U- folde her in his arms) 
ie , 1 ay y o 1 1 r hea • in its a c «?. s t o » d r !*• c e , 
My wife "whom C*od hath joined let no man put 
Asunder". Suffering bat more firml; knits 

B together — hearts that bee. t as one 

oti lie. 



Two hu sb and a T • we d es si we d unwi t *J ngl y » 
When first X wed, wh*t knew I of that dread 
Secret whose fatal shadow, crossed ray path 
At ^rery turn? When Hymen came again 
Some merciful Nepenthe exor steed 



45 

1!he olden grief, and from my to rtur od brain 
H«n«nbrtt»co faded like the mists of morn. 
'Stic chords of memory first were overs trai ned, 
And as the bop- string tidily drawn, rebounds 
With Yigor when the tension ia relaxed., 
Now se«ns my mind a mirror of the past. 

(A3.cJ.de walks the floor* "this revelation 
has staggered him, though his unselfish 
nature gives no sign, ho inwardly re- 
ooils from the blot upon his noble name. 
foe struggle Is but momentary.) 

Alcide» 



(Aside) An unexpected blow that would unnerve 
3he iron-hearted. Groat God., g?ve me strength. 
Pauvre innocente, how car. X solace her? 
Is wedlock but a summer haven? FoX 
True marriage is a sheltering rock that lifts 
Xts towering head above the tides of Fate. 
Shall X desert my post because X hoar 
'the cannon's thunder? Shall X close my heart 
When honor, duty end undying love 
Are knocking loudly at its portals? No. 

( Aloud , emb rac in g Q ti 1 1 e ? 
X would r^r*. ounce the Universe for you 
My wife and for our child in embryo. 
Give me ;cur crimson lips, and let me drink 
'(heir nectar— :ou are all the worl d to me — 
Do you r member when a thirsty knife 
Once probed your finger, how in sportive mo od. 
I let our surgeon- friend, Oregorio 
Transfuse your precious blood into my veins? 
When ycu rflnand those crimson drops, (Hi lie 
Fill X disclaim the heart ¥<hose lava st roans 
Are mingling wi *h my own. 'Che die is cast — 
Beloved— X am yours without recall. 

Otille. 



Your chivalry is very sweet to me, 
Your g<r,?<} of honor is beyond all price 
But to our country and posterity 
Do we not owe our highest duty 9 Aye! 
Upon those sacra*, altars should rot we 
If needs be, offer up our pa! try selves? 









. 



- 



- 


















* " * 





















46 



Alcide. 
High priestess ho! there's murder in the air — 
Is a elf -do s true tion < us t if i abl e? 
What strep-ge fanaticism is this that, cries 
7or imman blood. Go to — if woman could 
She'd snatch the reins from God Almighty's hards. 

(Kxit. Alcide.? 

Oti lie's Anneal. 



It was but yesterday the sunlight thawed 

My frozen hee rt, and brought me two-* fold bliss — 

A few short months, I've beer, a happf wife. 

And now, Godl when holy motherhood 

Its shining halo weaves about my brow, 

Black memory's grimy finder tarnishes 

Its geld, and snatches from my yearning breast 

Its buds of promise — Pity me, God! 

With ignominy I am lone acquaint 

But God! I swear that never child of mine 

Shall boar the contumely that I have borne. 

ffiict curse, 'hat damning curse shall not deseond 

On mi' ill- starred, unconscious progeny. 

(She takes a vial of slow but deadly 

poison from tier bosom.) 
Farewell, Alcide, farewell, I die foi' th.ee. 
I offer ur- this lacerated heart 
A sacrifice upon the shrine of love. (She weeps ) 
Pare well, Alcide, but oh J not yet — not yet — 

(She replaces the vial? 
0} let me see my husband once again, 
•Jhe Right of his dear face is like a gleam 
Of sunlight on my shadowed life, let 
Me drink once more the music of his voice, 
Who.'je love-notes drop in pearls of melody 
Upon my thirsting soul. let me feel 
Hie fire of passion burning in his lips 
As they repeat: "Otille. I love but thee*. 
How can I leave <heo, husband of my heart? 
Hor cab?, I tread alone the ghostly halls 
Of lastly deaths so far, my sweet, from thee* 
Whose tender love he. s been, the one bright ray 
That has illumined my perpetual night. 
Farewell! Light of my Life! It there's a God 
I call on Him in thie blighted hour 
To save me from these waves of wild despair 
Shat madly toss me in their frantic arms. 
Great God, Yfco has created me, I am 
'Jhy suffering child. help me, Father mine! 












rs*y ft 









e< 



*i 






A 









- * 































■ .-/Vj 






I tremble for my infant yet unborn; 

Canst thou forget thy croipn «p &3rl , who cries 

Aloud to th#«? Helas, men Pieu, won. .Oieu. 

Is thert no pity even in high Heaven 

Por such rs X? !D©ar Ohrief, T. kreel to Thee, 

I hatha -toy feet vith burr ing tear-drops wrung 

From out my tortured soul. Dost feel the 3 r fire? 

Is there ro patoos in their eil«»t prayer? 

Kast thou a heart of a tor.©? Art deaf and dumb? 

(flrinks the poison? 
Pardon mon Bieu — t knew not rhat J do. 
Sueh grief is not responsible , God 
'Ms cruel stroke has blind. ed me; alas J 
My bleeding feet can find no heavenly road. 
And 0! earth's cruel thorns to madness r^oad. 

(Bnfrer AI#GI?XK ) 
Ale i d © , th ink you thft t su ic HI © is w ro ng ? 

Ale id e. 



Of course* sweetheart, but tell me, i*hy you ask? 

TOwt d?.rk?*>me thoughts have gathered in that cloud 

3he.t frowning sits on yeur once sunny brew? 

A suicide is darned eternally. 

For him there is no hope beyond *he gieve. 

Otille. 



Me thinks ' ti s noble r far to e ac rif i c e 

Sweet self, to slip life's troublous sheath, then live 

TJiat others may be crucified. Ayei Aye! 

though Heaven itself is lost to us thereby. 

Ale i do. 



I could not live one hour without thee love. 
I'd follow th.e© to Hell, for there's no Heaven 
For me, my sorceress, apart f *om thee. 

title » 

But. I'm ar Octoroon©. Shall I disere.ee 
My Kus bird's proud, aristocratic race? 

Ale id e. 



Unsullied hast thou kept thy spotless robes — 
No fair Circassian has a *■». iter skin, 
A purer soul than thine, ("ome, let me kiss 
'fries© rain drops from my drooping flower, but ohl 
Ho* pale my lily is. 






nw 


















! 






.? el 












■ 









. 






4£ 

Otille. 



Ah I c'est 1MI ri an 

X Yrf.13. be bet ter so<»» I*m bct-Sfti* nc* . 

("ho gyoor.fi> Ale 3 da picks up empty 
bottle near otllle t*nd believes her doad»? 

A3.CKJ6. 

'£ho <?.©ath-head on this empty v?al nclvee 

Blia mystery, ^e'll die together, love. ( i t 3 

(Shoots Mreelf.s c-fyjuuts Aear pist«l-*a«i a-nd. 

oti lie » 
(RgylvAns* H» Ooci! My Ctodl Ale* del what have you 
done? 

CURTAIN. 



. 



i to 



,i sJ 



D u 






s 



4? 

act v, scare I: 



MAD SCENE: 



(Anphi< 


h ,he 


at re of Ifce 


Che 


ri ty Hosp 


ital . 


Professor 


«• 


students. 


, et 


c. pre sen 




(At ri£ 


■e 


of 


curtain ALOIPF. under 


the 


in finer 


•ce 


of 


' chloroform. 


OTI.U.F. 


enters 


in her 


br 


idal robes, 


Bta 


rtling tb 


e grave 



as scan 1 '!: . ) 



Dr. . 



My clear Madame de ^Aavant, „ou must 

Go home again* This is no place for you. 

Angel e, vhy did you bring your mistress here'? 



e 



She jumped into de kerridge Sah end made 

Me co me along. I ain't responsible 

For her qua re doings. She's my mietis; I 

Ain't hern. I 'lowed you * spies cmad dat before. 

otj lie. 



Pray tell mebwhure my husband Is; I heard 

Then say that he Was hero. (She gees him and ahrieka) 

He's dead! he's dead! 
God pity ne. 

Dr. tin 



He is not dead,' He sleep . 

otme. 



But rhy O.i d he come here to sleep? How strange. 

(She takes some f lovers f rom her dress 

and tries to rut them in his hand.) 
I brought some flowers for i t o\i, Alcade — a waft* — 
Lift thou the deep fringed curtains from thine eyes — 
And let ne see once more the light of d: 

(Pointing to hj m? 
Behold yon ea^le with the broken w1nc» 
That beats his breast in vain attempt to rise 
And lift hi3 royal plumage from the mire 
Ah! who would mate the eagle wj th the wren 
And cripple both, by beckoning pinions frail 
To uplands far beyond their fluttering scope 
Ai-d dragging kingly feathers in the dust'? 

( (' ho s t rises. 1 i 1 le tut m s f rom Ale i d e 

groyrs x>a-'9 g --' c '» cries) 
A chost! a ghost! It is my mother — 



• T 









: - 












• 



• 












50 



(With eye 3 distended? I«ook 

It's gone, there's something ghoetly in the air, 

(She shudders and sings.) 

(Shadow gong.) 
Who has not felt the touch of shadowy hand 
Like memory weird of half -forgot ten land, 
Or shuddered at some chill and ghostly blast 
That seemed to come from grave of ages past? 

weep not th<r< beloved when I an dead, 

Lift e dreamless sleep that T#e thean grief had sped 

Till Memory, cruel N ernes *s, awoke 

And played upon my heart-strings till they broke. 

May kind Death send some sweet but cease to me 
Though i t obi i. te rat e s a! 1 t re. c e of the e , 
Then T perchance far f ivn this vale of tea.ru, 
May lightly step a down the future year's. 

1st Student » 



( Appro a chlng he r) 
The doctor says you must not stay in here 
That it will be too great a trial for you. 

Otille. 



(Ti if ting her hards to heave n_l_ 
"Fhom God hath joined let no mar. put asunder"- 

(Crouching beside her husband? 
let me stay and, I will be thy dog, 
Thy slave, thy faithful octoroone till death. 
How could I leave thee, husband of my heart? 

2nd Student . 



You cannot force h&i* from her husband. You 
Could easier tear a tigress from her coxing. 

(Enter !W 0. ) 



Don 0. 
Come, daughter — come, tfc is is no place for you. 

Otille. 
I'm not your daughter." Did you think I was? 
And where think, you a wife's place is, if not 
Beside her husband? Ha! ha! ha! ^hen I 
Se ek wi s dom f rom a f c ol , I* 11 c al 1 ag ain 
Great God! I too had once a father. Aye! 
Curse his black heart that no vfclte skin could hide 



Son 


s«rl orfW 


rtlJ 




*i0 




• 




* 




UJ 













el 
I b .Us 09 






-- 






51 



Who murdered him — (pointing to her husband? 

The pride of his proud race 
My father — was it Forth the sacrifice? 
Lo ok at th? s wre ek . Kow coul ds t thou j us t if y 
This fiendish crime? how couldst thou descend 
To sin so black? Are not your women fair? 
Have you no power to look beyond the hour? 
Are ye more slaves to passion? have ye 
No pity for your helpless progeny? 

hold my husband, cut down, in his prime, 
3ho flower of chivalry lies bleeding* At 

Your door his murder lies. On your d head 

father, be his blood. Where canst thou hide? 
No grave is deep enough to shroud thy shame. 

r>on 0. 



What strange hallucination has upset 
Your once well balanced min.. 

(He moans) 
C'est trop, c'est trop. 

Angel e. 
(Aside) 3">e chile's erezzy. 

(flxit Ptille) 

(Aloud? Wait, honey, mammy's gwine 
Wid you. 

(Otille turns back and waits) 
1 3 ye >rgittin dat it ain't 
Ladyfied to oe gal Ivan tin round 
Strange places all alone by yourself? Why 
De Lord only knows what nought happen you. 

( F.xi t ti 1 le an d Angel e ) 

Dr. G. 



Another victim to the curse that hangs 

Even as U\ e sword of Damocles above 

Our unsuspecting heads. How thoughtlessly 

1 8 sowed the seed that brings such bitter f mi t. 

Don. o. 



I never realized this crime before. 

Br. G. 
Men are stone blind to their monstrosi ties. 
And yet no worse than others are our mei . 
But minions we to tyrant circumstance. 
Prom our ©scutcheon we'll efface this blot, 



<i*i 



■ 


















1 












8l 






Re worthy husbands to our faithful wives 
'(he jewels God intended us to wear. 



(Kntsr OTTL T «K and ANGKLS. The doctors 
are applying fresh bardies to the wound. ) 

Otille. 



My God.' Let not this blood be spilled in vain — 
Behold this reeking sacrifice, this torn 
And gaping heart. Is there no eloquence 
In the mute appeal of those lastly lips? 
What mpji can look upon this piteous sight 
Unmoved? And would you bind your children down 
Into this Hell to gratify ^ov.r 1 
Ma foil Are ye more brutes or are ye me? 

(Shuts out the cruel sight wi th her hands. 
SCKNK 7.1. Seme. gJfr.tor TX)N"A nj.xvTKRA. 3?yj t all but 

th e nee e ssa ry a 1 1 end an t s . ? 
The Dor, should cion the cap which fi ts so well. 

Don, 0. 
Th i dons not the cap that exes not fit, 

But I'll give you gratia some fitting hints, 
Vxp o si ng p i i va t e esc apa de 8 be t r ay s 
A rant of delicacy. 

Otille. 
Private sins 

Breed public wrongs. lould not the people lift 
Their earnest voices in a he art- felt plea 
In behalf of their unborn progeny? 
Mock modesty, men pare. Hal secrecy 
Indeed — where can w* hide our loathsome selves? 
We poisoned tar as your wanton herds have sowed 
Among "he nheat? 'Che fruit betrays the germ, 
We are the dusky mirrors do nos peres, 
Mor. grand seigneur, our presence speaks your shame, 
You publish your affairs de coflur, then say 
Pie! this exposure is indelicate. (Pointing to herself 
You S'r.d U3 forth, your yellow documents, 
Your living chronicles of infamy 
Into the world to blazon your disgrace, 
And then demand of others secrecy. 
Know then th' observant world will over wag 
Its thousand tongue* on th* omnipresent- -know — 
While crime exists it will be worded — though 
'Ihe reminiscence be unsavory. 






. 









. 





















. 












[ 

■ 

■ 



V 






• 






53 



'Sh* very existence of the Octoroone, 

Ou r b i r th , our a uv an t » i B ind el ic a te 

And as accusing as was Ranquo's wra ith, 

Biat e talked, among hie guaais — the heedless ghost 

Unmindful of the feelings of his host. 

Ever*; crime has its? gt-os 1 - &PC*. I am yours. 

Don 0. 



But in tha name of docency--let not 
i 1 o pr i va te 1 tf' e bo t rump e te cl ab roa d . 

Otille. 



So says the coward, the thief, the Riirderer, 
But c should be exposed— «tha t ether ©rimes 

■ ■ y bo p r even te d- - o th e r vi c t i.rns s pa re d . 

I would save others from my wretched fate, 

Down with miscegenation-- bastard vile-- 

Usurper bestial, that insults- your pride, 

Dethrones your honor and your chastity 

And tramples your fair children underneath 

Its tyrant heel. Wtfti f 3 re and sv-ord wage war 

Against this cursed pest.jl lential scourge. 

Shall I be grateful to the viper ^ho 

Haa stung ne into life 1 ? ( Handing her father a gleaming 

blade which she has snatched from the 
fold of her hair, where its curiously 
wrought hilt has served as an ornament.? 

Sake bnc>: your gift. 

Don 0. 



.. (^ith bowed head? 
I've lived too long — now breaks my heart. 



( Donn a . ap proa c he s ti lie, tak ing th e 
jewelled noinarti from her grasp end layi 
it aside? 






Donna r> . 

You are 



The )>ud lo^e grafted on my barren life 
Until it bloomed as on the pristine stock. 
Hast thou forgot that olden, col den time? 

Otille. 



Who are yen lady bird? Your pretty face 
Liku some sweet, delicate, familiar scant 
That t?>es me back to days of Auld I»ang Sfne 



• 



. 















• 









54 



Recalls? a tender dream of sweet will* flowers, 
Of birds end brooks and happy childish hours. 

Donna 0. 



r fhis is enough to mel t an iceberg. Dear, 
I an your* mother. Daughter, sneak to me. 

( Ghost rises, a creature of OUlle's ex- 
ei te (I imagine, t ion . ? 

Otille. 



, he r © * a i - r„ ■ i iot h e r- - so f t — th e e to r oon e — 
0, save ne! save me! I am haunted! look! 

(Ghost points to Don 01 i.) 

Ghost. 
I cane net here my child, to censure* him 
I'm but an. Octoroons and he is ffcite. 
But is it naught that I have been betrayed? 
U»t I have been deserted ard despised? 
0! is It naught that lie should take my all 
And give ne nothing in return 7 May Cod 
For si ve him. J cannot, I crave rew«X£j® 
I've fed on vengeance, all these weary years. 

(Hi lie. 



Poor chost! and Is that all you feed upon? 

No wonder you're so thin and lantern- jawed — 

Me thinks it must have been some ha3 arved spook 

Who smacked his lips and sa:^ ; "Hevtfige is sweet". 

r-hos t . 
Come hither daughter- -cone eheVie--hew I 
Have longed to clasp thee in one fond embrace 
To fold thee in these arms — these ss&ther-arms, 
'Twould tearing back life end w.b stance to this shade. 
Though not unlike the Don's al mightiness, 
You are the repetition of my youth. 

Otille. 



And will I look like you when I e*n old 

And creep trough chinks and crannies too alack? 

A (?od-f orsaken, ?'ind-begot ten wraith? 

Will I, like you, v/hen no one wer.ts me back, 

Come stealing thr©U£^i some ovil-omened crack? 



- 



■ 









• 



























55 



An&eX e . 
Do re ain't no ghost in. here — yw.'re erezzy chile 
If you begins a talkin to yerself , 
Dey'll take you fur a efcure nuff nicest Sah. 

(Ghost points affair, to flon Oliviera.) 

Ghos t . 
With sugared promises he won my babe 
Prom me, and loft me naught save memories fond* 
Tho s e emp ty h us ks of v an is he d J o y s • He stole 
r Che luscious fruit, and gave rind to mo. 

lie took her from me as a eareless child 
Strips leaf by leaf a clinging bless obi from 
The parent stem. ' Tis but a broken flower; 
L' enfant r.' amuse. 'Tis but ft shattered heart; 
L'honrie s* amuse. Ah! well! he is white and I 
Am but an Octoroone, unlearn eel, despised. 

had my cruel wrongs, his silvery tongue, 

His honeyed words, his blade of keen -edged wit, 

They'd pierce your hearts, were they of adamant. 

In mockery the wine of love he held 

Unto my thirsting lips, find scarce across 

My seething veins unto my eager heart 

Was cabled its electric fire, rtien quick 

He snatched from me the potent draught and passed 

It to another? Ah, me! What of that? 

I'm but or. Octoroone, and he is white. 

Miscegenation is as black as Hell . 

Jehovah hurls the thunder bolts of Heaven 

Acainst 'he perpetrators of this crime. 

1 trembled at the 4«td§n^T.t seat. 'Chen Sod 
Said unto me: Poor Oe to toon e— thy sin 

Is great — yet irresponsible art thou, 
Un tutored child of shame- -bu-i woe to hSaa 
W?io stranded thee upon the rocks of wild 
Despair and turned h^s prow to smiling shores. 

tille* 



0! father, hear that execrable $"iost 
The Octoroone, she says I am her child. 

Don 0. 



(Aside) Her words are Aag£jer~ thrusts that pierce my 

heart. 
Otille. 
}\er ghost ship is the mirror of myself 
Yfao am to her, as bud to full-blown flower. 



Angela 






Chile— doy aln* % nuthin dere what mortal eyes 
Kin eee, cepi what yen conjure up yerself , 
Dq 'nagi nation ob your fancy works 
On you, on til your luny rays rill git 
Us all in tie iunatti e 'sylun shure. 

Otille. 
(To Ghost? Your cunning fabrications are as void 
Of substance as yourself. Avaunt! A vaunt ! 
Your evidence is as intangible 
As is your ighost ship's per son alii - 

(Kxi t ghost) 

Donna 0» 
Angel e, you've know\ our darling since her birth 
And you alone can solve this mystery. 
Is Natalie the mother of tttiXXtt* 

Ange3 . 



Ko — no — ole Hiss, aha'* pure calcasian blood. 

She flavor Natalie — but 'peararces 

An deceitful. (Aside? 8n if she was her Ma 

I ain't gwine back on de pore child nohow, 

Not for nobody, Sah. no ghoat# no speeri t, 

Ko machinations ob de deb 11, Sah — (aloud) 

You can't trust riiggers-"-day ain't got no word — 

You can't put stock in colored folks nor ghosts — 

Dey's too puffeekly onreliable, 

And dat ghost ain't cot a chest ob a show. 

It's all .Vacua's do ins. She jes wants 

To tutrn de pore gal's head, so she kin git 

De money from her. It's a put v.r Job. 

It's jes a ghost story, tru roped up agin 

Young Miss — ain't she done had 'nuff mis'ry yet? 

(Bending over Otille and caressing her) 
Now honey, don't let nufhlii Worry you 
he re a in ' t no d if t er er. c o ' twi x t. d e races, ch i 1 e , 
De fust batch turn out white, and den de mould 
Got kind o' misty. Spose ole mars tor ha 
Some pore vftiite trash around deripre ises, 
What couldn't keep his kitchen straight? Dat's all 
You's pure Calcassian blood and no mistake, 
I kr.owed you honay — before you" was born. 

(Knter PR. 0. 
SCJHTff II T. Same. (Students re nter preparatory to lecture 

ho ur . Al c ide 1 < * ofr s t er d e rl y i n to 

Otille' s f ac <i and listens helplessly to 



57 
her piteo us ra^iry^s while she bend b -lov- 
ingly over hin and sings? 

Otille. 



(Sln-fts? Through thy £lance the sunbeams shine 

On this shadowed heart of mino. 

]? r i -j, q 1 ,re- 1 lgh t n ev e r di e s 

In my darling* a dusky eyes, (Speaks cares singly) 

Nov; beautiful he is— how soft the curl 

That twines a round my finger — but hush — see 

How warily it elides — it li that dark 

And sluggish^ sinuous stream that snake-like nes ts 

bin my bosom, strangllzg every joy — 
The cobra* s deadly fangs have sear red my breast 
And. no?/ j men Dieu, they rend n± r hue band* s heart. 
See how i ', coils its dusky X*r.cth about 
My darling. Serpent! poison me — don't vouch 

u He is dying and I cannot save 
Him. Husband — dear hue band- -you would not die 
And leave your pauvre petite# would you cherie? 
He's dead — my husband's dead — dead — Heaven is dead — 
H is so ul is c ry 1 n ■* ou t- - f he a r i t sp e ak — 
She words are flowing from his heart's red lips 
In drops of core. On di t; the blood of Christ 
Shall cleanse all sin. could mi r husband's blood 
And mine, but wipe, out from this glorious land 
Mlseesertfttlffl's foul and loathsome brand. 



Br. ft. 

How through the tangled meshes of her brain 
She interweave a the golden thread of thought. 

Ale id e. 



(Asicio? Doctor, can icv. restore my v?ife to health? 

Dr. G. 
Be calm, my friend. Death laughs at human skill. 

Qtille. 
A man may have a penchant for a fair 
Quadroons, but no sane man car. possibly 
Desire a taint in his posterity. (She grows faint) 



Dr. G. 
She is delirious. (Plaein,^ ht-r on a loume.) 

.Don 0. 
Ii i s t en J ho w sh e rav er .' 



vol 












58 

( Alcide buries his face in his hen da and 
utters a low, hoarse moan) 

Alcide. 
(Aside) With what a bitter, double meaning now, 
Those words cone home to me. Those cruel words 
I uttered thoughtlessly so Ions ago* 
Poor child-- they' re burred into her very brain. 

(Otille rises with that suddenly acquired 

vjr ;p>» rhich sometimes precedes death, 

to t te '^. : 3 to Ale J cl e , s tr e tel ie s fo r th her 
arms towards some unseen vision and 
soft! y sinss) 



The Circe an Oup> 
though sylvan joys delight the heart 
Of Heaven they're but a meagre parti 
Not flowers can give celestial bliss 
Though blushing with the sunbeam's kiss, 

N or b" i r d , 2 10 r b ro ok «? i t h im i s ie * s voice 
Can make the troubled heart rejoice, 
But cone — grief's heavy heart we'll sink 
In Lov e ' s i ht oxi ca t inc d rink . 

I quaffed tlie Oircean bowl with thee 
And that was Heaven enough fo.^ me, 
Yet Love, X taste the dreg a of pain 
In every cup of joy I drai . 

( Kn e ei inr. to Al c id e ) 
Dost love me husband? Dost love thy petite* 
Thy poor quad ro one? My light, my life, my Heaven 
My God. My mother taught me how to pray 
But her kind Deity has forsaken me. 
And now, Alcide, I know no God hu t 'hee. 

Ale i d . 



The waxen petals of the sweet wild rose 
'Chat wanton winds with fingers rude, have torn 
From sheltering tusk, are hot more helpless, love 
n thou. 01 would that t could die for thee. 
(*3he reepe ) 

Otille. 



I'm dying, sweetheart — kiss me ore I die. 

Clasp me close to your heart chore. Swear that you 

Will lever leave Otille, 



59 



AlcJde. 



(Hi .lie. 
My hand end g© with me to Heaven. 

(He takes her h?n&) 



I swear. 



Now take 



Alcicle. 



Aye, sweet? 



For v/here thou art is par® diss to me. 

Hell will be Heaven, Otillo, if thou &rt there- 

( 1 ille c'.l e s . Kxc i t oraent and cU sor der . 
Alcide lifts hi 3 hgad and looks towards 
his wife.) 

My wife, thy suffering mind has reached beyond 

The c i r cnn.se ri be d v i a i on of grcr el 1 ing jaan , 

Unto Jehovah's equitable throne, 

ere nono are vhiter-soulod than thou — Mine own. 

(Quick as thour.ht, he snatches the sur- 
geon's It if fi r.rrt stabs r.im?olf to death. 
floe to re and studerts all rash to the sui- 
c J d e : all i s co n fii s i on . ? 



CURTAIN. 



0TXT3JS THE OOW.OWKK. 



P h 'P. 



0} J v i « n». , a we a?. Shy 8p anJ si 1 Don of Ac ad i e > a pi an t a r 
•nd a bachelor %*t% his magnificent estate to go in 
search of slaves. At the auction rooms of Iho Arcade 
Exchange, Now Orleans, he bought Angel e, a negro wench, 
and Natalie, a sloe- eyed Oc tore one. He bid high for tfee 
dreamy Oc tore one and carried her off in triumph to his 
beautiful heme and made hor his mistress. 

SkJ.12.fti J. masters were anployed to cultivate the 
gifts vhich nature had, tflth lavish hand, bestowed or. 
he r • On r i ngs of 1 o ve th e y ea rs f J ew sw ? f t 1 y b y . 

Long after war had laid his hat til e-axe aside, the 
languorous Octoroone gave birth to a lovely girl baby 
for whose sweet sake the Don crormod the mother's brer 
wi th orange bl ooms . 

Soon legal, ties grew irksome, and with fa3.se prem- 
ises he bribed his wife to yield their babe, Otille, tc 
him. Then he, through strategy* destroyed the record 
of his marriage, abandoned his spouse and wen. t to Paris 
with the child. 

The deserted wife soon died of a broken heart. Rro 
many summers waxed and waned the Don chose a lovely end 
aristocratic bride, #\ose lofty station was in keening 



with Ma noble line ace. No children were bom of 
this second marriage, but the fond step-i-iother' s heart- 
strings, wound th cm a elves closer end closer each sue cess* 
ive year, about her husband's beautiful ard gifted 
daughter, Otille. 'Che Don and Angel y, the faithful n&grc 
Burs* of ©till©, guarded so rail the secret of her birth, 
that neither sh© nor her step-nether suspected 8ie fatal 
tai nt • 

The lovely girl blossomed into a queenly wnan. 
Her ri&rvaious beauty made her conspicuous uherever she 
V9Kt« 

'Che war had wrought great chances in the South* 
the Don had lost his slaves a»d hit property had decreas- 
ed in value. To rebuild his fallen fortunes, he appealed 
to his daughter, vfc.o $ to appease his cupidity, offered 
herself up as a scar if ice on the hymen, eal altar. 

-She wed the parvenu and ex-overseer *eyburn, vbo 
loved her at first in his coarse fashion. 

On returning from Europe, the Wey burns, *h& younger 
n**r»bera of Olivier a* a family, become the guests of Alcide 
de "^iavar.t, a wealthy young Creole lawyer, vfcose father 
is an intimate friend of the Spanish Don. The old plan- 
tation, £h© ancestral hone of the De ' r i averts , was in the 
environ* of New Orleans on the banfce of the Mississippi, 









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i 












3 



where the Marine Hospital now stands* The Pe viavants, 
illustrious Creoles, descended from the Marquis de v ia- 
vant of the old French regime, were residing in Europe 
for the none©; leaving Alci.de* the eldest son, to manage 
affairs at home. Weary of keeping bachelor's hall, the 
young lawyer induces Olivoira, his father's f ri end, to 
persuade the newly-wedded couple to. enliven with thai** 
presence, at least for a tine, his beautiful end spacious 
suburban retreat, 

Otille, the fascinating young rife of Weyburn t has a 
tiny dark vein on the lower pert of her left cheek, which 
the wary Luella, her jealous and intriguing rival, the 
former mistress of feyburn and no the r of his child, de- 
clares to be a mark of negro blood. Weyburn becomes the 
vie tin of Tiuella's wiles, end taunts the unconscious end 
outraged Otille, until she becomes almost frantic. In 
the meantime AJ.ci.de becomes infatuated with Otille tfho, 
though pure, returns his affection. The chivalrous 
Alcide determines to leave her, but dallies until his 
plans ere f mat rated. Angel ique (Angele) Oti lie's blach 
nurse and life-lens attendant, who was born her^i on the 
De ^iavant plantation and had drifted back as it were tc 
hor old home, perfectly understood the situation, She 
tries faithfully with her voodoo remedies to alleviate 









• 






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the sufferings and nervous prostration of her mistress, 
but make s an almost fatal mi stair e in the herbs, which 
changes completely the order of events, '.{he medicine 
throws Otille into a trar.ce, which simulates death. 

Angela ( Angel ique? , in termor for her mistress and 
yet af raid to own- her error, allows Otille to be buried, 
but immediately after the funeral, rushes off to Aieide 
and confesses «v©rythinc# imploring him to save her mis- 
tress. He does not need her entreaties, but enjoins her 
to meet him at a certain time and place fchan, with the 
as si stance of hi s intimate friend Pr. Gregorio, of the 
Charity Hospital , and a professional Grab, they effect 
her resurrection. Matters become more complicated. 
Otille through the &Tug which Angele has administered, 
has lost all knowledge of the past. She clings helpless- 
ly to An^el e and Alcide; and her peculiarly unfortunate 
position, appeals strongly to their affection for her. 
Anglic knowing the suspicion which blasts Otille in Wey- 
burn's house, keeps her oyt. counsel, but refuses to let 
her mistress return there. w ithout giving parti culars, 
Angel e merely states to Ale id© that ^eyburn is cruel to 
his wife, and declares "Young Miss shan't go back to 
Massa Weyburn, I'll hide her in my little shantee fust 
and work for her myself. Dere's plenty food and close 



. 


















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' 









for my lill gal in dese ole arms." Alcide seeing no 
other w&* out of this dilemma and feeling responsible 
in a measure for Ot ills' s second birth, as it were, de- 
cides to take her abroad and place her in a convent. 
de3.i^ited to be of service, even in so small a way, to 
the beautiful and innocent waif that Fate's eruel aims 
have tossed, as if in mockery, across his path. Borne 
months after the apparent death of OtJXle, T»uella pre- 
vails on ^eyburn to rrarrv her privately that their son 
may become legitimate. 

Soon becoming weary of the ties that bind him to 
the intriguing Luella, he decamps with Xnes, the dashing 
wife of an Italian fruit vendor. Xn the meantime, a 
man who resembled Veyburn, was the victim of a railroad 
accident, and weyburn was reported dead, which news reach- 
ed tills at the convent* ^eybum, in his wanderings 
with his paramour, had heard rumors of his wife's re- 
surrection, also her betrothal, to Alcide De viavant, 
and their return to New Orleans, and he determined on 
revenge. One night he tracked the affianced lovers 
to a Kew Orleans theatre, and with Ineas, lay in wait for 
their return. Startled at sight of his wife, as at an 
apparition, yet not awaiting an explanation, he shoots 
at Alcide but misses him. Xr.es, jealous of the elegant 



t*£k 






























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6 

dorian '><hon Weyburn says is his wjfe or her spirit, 
snatches his revolver from hira* takes aim at her rival 
and wound s her slightly. The guilty pair make ^ood their 
escape. Alcide loaves Kadame Weyburn at her door in the 
care of her faithful nurse, Arce3 e. Outraged and indig- 
nant, he follows the trial of the would be murderer, 
and when about to overtake him Weyburn becomes the victim 
of Inez's husband, <Te*8U Christ i Montibello rtio is anae- 
ber of the Mafia. Inez betrays her husband, and dies at 
the hards of the Mafia. After wears' waiting and much 
tribulation, the nuptials of the dove ted lovers Otille 
and Alcide, are solemnised* 'Drier follow a few short 
months of happy wedded life at the old plantation ho vise, 
whoa one fateful hour the sup of joy is dashed from them. 
Ancelo's careless boy, Sr&wdrift, accidentally sets a 
part of the plantation house, near Oti lie's room, on fire. 
Otille, being in a delicate condition at the time, nar- 
rowly escapes with her life. She is carried to the guest 
rcon, which she had occupied so lone ago with Weyburn, her 
first husband, when they wore 'visitors at the De vie. van t 
plantation* ^ho awakes to consciousness amid the old sur- 
roundings and memories Icr.g buried revive. The shock 
breaks the spell vfoich had enchained her, and slowly lifts 
the veil from the past* Stie hears the same old clock 












» » 









d 



again, the night famine is still blooming near the ?*in- 
dow, and its subtle perform seems to waft her back again 
across the vasty sea of vanished years to the sickening 
memories of auld lang syne. Again the old doubts refurn- 
sd, the old thought h minted her, "was she an Octoroone?" 
She would tell her hue band all she knew, if it made him 
hate her. This horrible doul pas almost as bad as cer- 
tainty. She would poison herself, and not be a clog upon 
Ale i her noble hue band, if 8 re her husband. 

> it was all a dream. Perhaps Weyburn is still 
her husband. te will see* ikes a match and 

holds it over hoi' hue band* s head. On seeing Alcicle she 
kneels i.n ecstacy, though silently, lest she disturb the 
slumbers of her husband-lover, and lifts her heart in 
gratitude to (rod. At this critical period she receives 
a visit fram Luella, in which the latter professes to 
consider herself the rightful heir to ^eyhurn's property, 
though powerless to substantiate it by a legal si aim. 
She denounces Otills as an OCtoroone, arid threatens ex- 
posure, subtly hinting at Way burn's estate, as hush-money 
for herself and her son. 

Overcome by distracting complications and trials, 
Otille succumbs to the terrible stress upon her sensi- 
ti v e min d ami d el ica te o rg ar 1 sa t i on . 



JiOi 


















t\ 



8 



Date mined that no child of hers .shall suffer what 
she has bo ma, she drinks a poi sonous draught. Not hav- 
ing taker, sufficient to produce immediate death, she 
sleeps, but revives. After an exciting conversation, with 
her husband, she swoons. He sees the empty vial with 
the death-head on it, thinks her dead and shoots himself. 
By order of his physician, Dr. Gregorlo of the Charity 
Hospital i r>e v iavant is r amoved to that institution, 
Otille, nfcosa mind has become entirely unbalanced, arrays 
herself in her bridal robes and on learning of her hus- 
band's whereabouts, refuses Angle's en ties to don a 
more suitable attire, orders her carriage aid repairs to 
the Hospital. 

Rejecting all overtures to leave him, she remains 
at his ride, where she di es from the effects of the poi- 
son.. Moid- a is recovering through the skill of his 
physician, but on witnessing the death of his beautiful 
and idolized wife, he snatches the eon's operating 

kni£ e from the table and stabs himself to death. 









■ 



. 



9 

s y y o p s i s. 

A T I, 
New Orleans. 



'Che De Viavant Plantation where the Marine Hospital 
nor stands. 

The l)e Viavants, Creoles of high descent, having 
gone to Kiirope on a prolonged pleasure jaunt, have left 
Alcide, fhe elder eon, a young lawyer in charge of their 
ancestral hone on the banks of the Mississippi. Don 
Oliviera, a Spanish noble, a p3.ar.ter and friend of the Do 
w iavants, has just returned from a visit to the continent 
with his wife and (Hi lie, hia beautiful daughter by a 
former mrrtage who ?? newly wedded to Weyburn, a Parvenu. 
Alcide, wear;' of keeping bachelor 1 a hall, has induced the 
Weyburns to be cone hia gueats and enliven, at least for 
a tine the loneliness of his spacious suburban retreat. 

Weyburn falls a vie tin to the wiles of Luella his 
former die tress. The secret of the Don unearthed by 
s daughter's jealous rival. Ihe fatal taint. 

Alcide becones infatuated with '."eyburn's wife, the 
beautiful Otille. Determines to leave her. Procras- 
tinates. Misses the boat. His plans are frustrated. 
Weyb urn • s b ru tal ity . 1 i 1 le ' s id espa i r. !!h e o Id d o ek . 



10 

Al o 5 d e * s s ec re t ar. d unpr o p i ti ou s r e turn • An eel e ' s 
sympathy beinr; enlisted in behalf of her mist res Sf she 
resorts io voodooism. She brews a potion but makes a 
mistake in the herbs. 



A midnight orgie. Alc:ide*s curJosilv a roused. A 
li. !j :e-like, life-sized marble statue of Alcide. '.(he herbs 
do their diabolical rcrk. tills falls into a deathlike 
trar.ee. 



11 

ACT II. 

Al side's Fo&roor . Tteath Chamber. Kstair-je 

^ - — , 

R t dg e Or a vey ard. 

Resurrection. 

Otille convalescent... The drug Angela administered 
by Mistake continues its baleful work. Through it the 
past be cones a blank to BtUXfe She is born s^ain, ft« 
it were with no ranembrance of the life before. Qtille, 
helpless as a new-born babe, clings to Alcide, her devo- 
ted but Platonic lover «id her nurse Angale. The doc- 
tor proposes to suttd her back to her husband. Angele 
stoutly reuses this proposition. the cruelty 

of WeVburn end the dark cloud which ha»£e over her mis- 
tress, Angela keeps her own counsel merely saying: 
•Young Ties shan't ack; I'll tukn hfcr to my little 

shanty first." Alcide decides to take otille abroad 

©Owen** where **& report, of Weynurn's 
■ches her. 



&©". 






- 









12 
ACT III. 

0~<ille, now Widow Weybttrn, Has left the convent. 
She be fomes the fiancee of Alcide ]*t Viavant. The 
lovers. Weybum's death a false report. We-ybum 
end Inez, his paramo?*r. a re centre. Pistol shots. 
Otille Slightly wounded. 

Same, ftaw Orleans. Louisiana Harsh. Back o 1 



The Mafia. 



, 



• 






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' 



15 

ACT IV. 

The T>e Viavant Plantation, Scene sane as Act I, 



Scene X. 

Otille, Aleide's wife of a year* 

Snowdrift, Angela's careless boy has accidentally 
set fire to that p«rt of the plantation house near the 
room of otille, who being in a delicate condition bare- 
ly escapes with her life, She is carried insensible from 
her room to the gmest chamber and awakes to coneiousness 

the same room where she snd V'eyburn Irsr first hus- 
band had been quests so long ago. The snock ssnd the 
old scenes break the spell, which had so long enchained 
her. The old haunting memories return* The old 
clock, the subtle perfume of the night jasmine help to 

ive the miserable past, She strikes a match and 
holding it above her husband's head says softly: I'll 
solve this riddle, come what may,» On seeing Alcide, 
her devoted husband, she kneels in gratitude to God, 
At this critical period, she receives a visit from the 
intriguing Luella, which cort$~>letely prostrates her, 

Otille succumbs to the terrible strain upon her 
nervous system. She determines that no child of hers 
shall inherit the fatal taint. Her mind becomes un- 
balanced. She takes a slow, but subtle, deadly poison. 









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14 
Alcide overwhelmed with grisf shoots himself. J)i\ C-rs- 
gorio, his friend, orders his removal to the Charity 
Hospital. 



. 



15 

A C T V. Mad Scene, 



Lecture hour* Ampi theatre of the Charity Hospital 
Students, Doctors, etc 

Otille arrayed in h**v bridal robes, refuses to 
change her dress, but a mm an da Angele to ord^r the 
carriage said aceoiapsny her to the Charity Hospital. 

Shadow Son^, Weeps over her husband's fate. 

Students said doctors hr. irsd, only necessary 

pendants remaining with patient, ills hurls hep- 

anathemas against h®r father. ill affected. 

The Ghost, Oti lift's faithful nurse Angels false to 
facts, but true to her mistress* 
Bnt.er Doctors end Students preparatory to lecture Hour, 

ille refuses £6 . * Alcid ♦ Son re The Circe an 
nop. The poison takes effect &r,& tills dies beside her 
husband* Vtavant, Irhft is recovering through the 

skill of his physician, on witnessing the death of his 
idolized wife, sn&tches the operating knife from the 
table end stabs himself to death* 



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